COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women's Basketball junior Sophie Cunningham was one of 20 candidates named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association 2018 Cheryl Miller Award watch list. Named after the three-time Naismith Player of the Year, the annual award in its inaugural year recognizes the top small forwards in women's NCAA Division I college basketball.
In 2016-17, Cunningham averaged a team-best 17.5 points per game, which ranked fourth in the SEC. She led Mizzou in total points, points per game, assists per game, free throw percentage, field goal percentage and total field goals made for the season. Cunningham finished with 10 20-point performances in 2016-17 and has 20 such outings in only 63 career games. She ended the regular season with four consecutive 20-point performances, racking up a pair of National Player of the Week awards.
Cunningham earned Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention recognition and First Team All-SEC honors after leading Mizzou to 22 wins, a third-place finish in the Southeastern Conference and a second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance for the first time since 1985 and 1986. She steered Mizzou to wins in back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time in program history.
In October, Cunningham was named Preseason First Team All-SEC by both the league's coaches and the media. She is one of four SEC players on the Women's Basketball Coaches Association 2018 Cheryl Miller Award watch list.
The Selection Committee for the Cheryl Miller Award is composed of top women's college basketball personnel including media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers.
By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2018 Cheryl Miller Award will be narrowed to just 10. In March, five finalists will be presented to Ms. Miller and the Hall of Fame's selection committee. Fans will also have the opportunity to vote for their favorite finalist at www.hoophallawards.com.
The winner of the 2018 Cheryl Miller Small Forward Award will be announced during ESPN2's telecast of the national semifinal games in the 2018 NCAA Women's Final Four in Columbus, Ohio on Friday, March 30.
For more information on the 2018 Cheryl Miller Award, visit www.hoophallawards.com.
2018 Cheryl Miller Award Candidates
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Hannah Cook |
Alabama |
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Gabby Williams |
Connecticut |
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Shakayla Thomas |
Florida St. |
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Jill Barta |
Gonzaga |
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Amanda Cahill |
Indiana |
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Bridget Carleton |
Iowa St |
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Raigyne Louis |
LSU |
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Erika Davenport |
Marquette |
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Brianna Fraser |
Maryland |
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Branndais Agee |
Michigan St |
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Missouri |
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Missouri St. |
|
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Stephanie Mavunga |
Ohio State |
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Maddie Manning |
Oklahoma |
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Maria Jespersen |
South Florida |
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Jaime Nared |
Tennessee |
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Ariel Atkins |
Texas |
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Kennedy Burke |
UCLA |
|
Teana Muldrow |
West Virginia |
|
Cayla McMorris |
Wisconsin |
*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2017-18 season*