WBB: Midseason POTY Watch List
WBB: Midseason POTY Watch List
The Player of the Year race is heating up.
It has been a chaotic season for WAC Women’s Basketball so far. Injuries, upsets, and more have completely changed the conference landscape since we made our pre-season picks for Player of the Year.
Many players have made a case for the award, but this is our shortlist of who deserves it so far, in no particular order.
Naudia Evans - Guard, Grand Canyon
Naudia Evans has impressed on a national level this season. Early on, she led the Lopes’ unreal comeback against St. Mary’s and finished it off with a game-winning buzzer-beater.
Several more game-winning/saving buzzer-beaters and clutch plays later, Evans has helped lead GCU to its historic start to the 2023-24 season.
Currently, Evans is averaging 10.8 points and shooting 42 percent from the field as well as 41 percent from behind the arc.
Evans is also averaging around three assists and four rebounds a night.
Although she’s known for her offense, her defense has been top-tier as well.
If she continues to perform at this level while also helping GCU stack up the wins, she will be a no-brainer candidate for WAC POTY.
Chloe Webb- Guard, California Baptist
Chloe Webb has put on a show so far in 2023-24.
While the loss of Grace Schmidt, a reigning All-WAC Second-Teamer, was a big blow, Webb has stepped up in her absence.
Since then, the Lancers have gone an impressive 7-1 and Webb has earned three Player of the Week selections.
Her offense has been stellar as she leads the WAC at 20.2 points per game. She also leads the WAC with nine 20-plus point games this season.
Webb’s more than just scoring though, as she pulls in just under eight rebounds a contest.
Much of CBU’s success so far has been a result of Webb’s spectacular play.
She’s quickly become a leader for a squad that is certainly contending for the WAC championship yet again.
Kurstyn Harden- Center, Stephen F. Austin
If there was an award in the WAC for the Most Improved Player, Kurstyn Harden would definitely be in the running.
In just her second season donning the purple and white, Harden has become a bonafide star in the WAC.
After averaging 9.4 points and 5.4 rebounds a year ago, the dominant 6’3” big is now scoring 15.7 points on 55 percent shooting from the field.
She’s also getting it done on the boards, averaging just under seven rebounds a night.
SFA is currently a top-3 team in the WAC and has had quite a few important wins this season, including recently against GCU on the road.
With Harden at the helm, the WAC should be on notice for SFA to be contending yet again.
Breaunna Gillen- Guard, Utah Tech
Gillen has been a top player in the WAC for multiple years now.
Coming off of a season where she was on the All-WAC First Team, it’s no surprise Gillen is on this list yet again.
Gillen is averaging 16.2 points per game, which is second among all active players in the WAC.
The 5’9” combo guard is also averaging 4.9 assists and 6.9 rebounds a night.
Unfortunately, Gillen has missed the past three games after suffering a concussion in a 78-71 win over Southern Utah on Jan. 18.
At 5-4 in WAC play, UTU has quite some work to do to be considered contenders. However, if JD Gustin can get his point guard back soon, the Trailblazers could make a run down the stretch heading into WAC Vegas.