Skip to main content

Murekatete named to Lisa Leslie Award watch list

Oct 21, 2022

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Washington State women's basketball senior Bella Murekatete once again finds her name among the best centers in the nation, as the 6-3 post from Rwanda was selected to the 2023 Lisa Leslie Award watch list, as announced by the Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Friday, Oct. 21.

This marks the second time that Murekatete has been included on the prestigious Lisa Leslie Award watch list, which is presented annually to the best center in NCAA Division I women's college basketball. The senior is one of six Pac-12 players named to the Leslie Award watch list, as Murekatete is joined by Colorado's Quay Miller, Oregon's Sedona Prince, Stanford's Francesca Belibi and Lauren Betts, and Washington's Emma Grothaus.

Last season, Murekatete was named the Pac-12 Conference Co-Most Improved Player of the Year after posting a career-high in nearly every statistical category. The 6-3 center started all 30 games for WSU last season and averaged a career-high 10.2 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Her 1.7 blocks per game ranked fourth in the Pac-12 last season. The post player scored double digits in 17 games last season, including a career-high 22-point performance against San Jose State.

Murekatete is the second Washington State women's basketball player to be named to a watch list by the Basketball Hall of Fame and WBCA. Sophomore Charlisse Leger-Walker was selected to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award watch list this past Tuesday, Oct. 18.  Fans can vote for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award and the Lisa Leslie Award by clinking the link here.

Started in 2018, the Selection Committee for the Lisa Leslie Award is composed of top women's college basketball personnel including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.

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

The winner of the 2023 Lisa Leslie Award will be presented on a to be determined date, along with the other four members of the Women's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Nancy Lieberman Award (Point Guard), Ann Meyers Drysdale Award (Shooting Guard), Cheryl Miller Award (Small Forward) and the Katrina McClain Award (Power Forward), in addition to the Men's Starting Five.

The WSU women's basketball team opens the 2022-23 season with an exhibition contest against Westmont (Calif.) on Oct. 30. Tip-off from Beasley Coliseum is set for 2 p.m. PT.

Fans can purchase season and single-game tickets for the 2022-23 campaign now at WSUCougars.com.

For more information on the Washington State women's basketball team, follow @WSUCougarWBB on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.