(TUCSON, AZ) The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced today the 20 watch list candidates for the 2020 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award. All-American Aari McDonald was named to the watch list along with four other Pac-12 players.
Named after the first player, male or female, named to the All-America Team in four straight college seasons, the annual award in its third year recognizes the top shooting guard in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball.
Last season, McDonald was named an All-American by the WBCA and the Associated Press after breaking the Arizona single-season scoring record on both the women’s and men’s side (890 points). She became Arizona’s first All-American since Davellyn Whyte (2013) and was the nation’s third-leading scorer and the Pac-12’s leading scorer at 24.1 points per game, the top scoring average of any returner for the 2019-20 season.
McDonald was also named All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 All-Defense last season and became the only Division I player since 2000 to have 800 points, 200 rebounds, 150 assists and 90 steals in a season.
The Selection Committee for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award is composed of top women’s college basketball personnel including media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers. New to the award this season is Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies in each of the three rounds. By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2020 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award will be narrowed, along with the other four members of the Women’s Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard Award, the Cheryl Miller Small Forward Award, the Katrina McClain Power Forward Award, and the Lisa Leslie Center Award, in addition to the Men’s Starting Five.
Previous winners of the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Award include Asia Durr, Louisville (2019) and Victoria Vivians, Mississippi State (2018).
2020 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Candidates
Aari McDonald Arizona
Chelsea Dungee Arkansas
Juicy Landrum Baylor
Christyn Williams Connecticut
Lauren Loven Denver
Becca Hittner Drake
Haley Gorecki Duke
Kathleen Doyle Iowa
Taylor Mikesell Maryland
Destiny Pitts Minnesota
Aislinn Konig NC State
Lindsey Pulliam Northwestern
Taylor Robertson Oklahoma
Minyon Moore Oregon
Erica Ogwumike Rice
Kiana Williams Stanford
Stephanie Watts USC
Jocelyn Willoughby Virgini
Amber Melgoza Washington
Tynice Martin West Virginia
Courtesy of Arizona Communication Services
