Reese, Martinez Placed on Katrina McClain Award Preseason Watch List

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Fifth year Cate Reese and senior Esmery Martinez have been named to the 2023 Katrina McClain Award Preseason Watch List, as announced by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Thursday.

The Katrina McClain Award recognizes the top power forward in women's NCAA Division I basketball.

Reese returns in 2022-23 for a fifth season with the Wildcats. The Cypress, Texas, native attained AP All-America honorable mention honors in 2022 and is a three-time All-Pac-12 honoree. In the 2021-22 season she tallied 19 double-doubles and reached the 1,500 point threshold, and her 14.3 points per game and 6.0 rebounds per game led the Wildcats in the 2021-22 campaign. She was a finalist for the Katrina McClain Award in 2020.

Martinez, a senior transfer from West Virginia, was the leading rebounder for the Mountaineers in 2021-22, grabbing 254 boards throughout the season. A two-time All-Big 12 honoree, Martinez tallied 10 double-doubles in her junior year. She averaged a double-double as a sophomore with 13.6 points and 11.6 rebounds per game.

Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting, presented by Dell Technologies, in each of the three rounds starting Friday, October 21. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2023 Katrina McClain Award will be narrowed to 10 and then in late February to just five. In March the five finalists will be presented to McClain and the Hall of Fame's selection committee where a winner will be selected. 

The winner of the 2023 Katrina McClain Award will be presented on a to be determined date, along with the other four members of the Women's Starting Five.