October 26, 2026 | Women's Basketball
The award recognizes the top point guard in the country
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — University of Louisville women's basketball junior guard Zamareya Jones was named to the Nancy Lieberman Award Watch List, the Basketball Hall of Fame and Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced Monday afternoon. Jones is one of 20 players on the initial watch list that recognizes the top point guard in all of women's college basketball.
Jones joined the Cardinals this past spring after she played her first two collegiate seasons in the ACC at NC State. She is coming off a career year with the Wolfpack where she averaged 14.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.2 steals and 32.4 minutes per game. Jones led the team with 68 three-pointers, a mark that ranked 14th all-time for a single season in program history. She shot 41.2% from the field, 36.6% from three with 26 double-digit scoring games, six 20-point games and one 30-point game.
In the opening game of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, Jones tallied a career-high 30 points, going 9-of-15 from the field and 10-of-13 from the free throw line after drawing 12 fouls. Her 30 points marked the fourth most scored in an NCAA Tournament game in NC State program history.
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting in each of the three rounds starting on Friday, October 30. In February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2027 Nancy Lieberman Award will be narrowed to 10, then to five in March. In late March, the five finalists will be presented to Lieberman and the Hall of Fame's selection committee, where the winner will be selected. The selection committee for the Nancy Lieberman Award is composed of top women's college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
The winners of the 2027 Lieberman Award will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the four other members of the Women's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award (Shooting Guard), Cheryl Miller Award (Small Forward), Katrina McClain Award (Power Forward), and Lisa Leslie Award (Center).
For more information on the 2027 Nancy Lieberman Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophallu and #LiebermanAward on X and Instagram.
About the WBCA:
Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women's and girls' basketball at all levels of competition. The WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of a diverse community of coaches to those organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. For more information, visit us online: WBCA.org, follow @wbca1981, or call 1-770-279-8027.
About the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame:
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving, and celebrating the game of basketball at every level—men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches, and contributors worldwide. The Hall of Fame museum is home to nearly 500 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Welcoming close to 200,000 visitors each year, the museum invites fans to learn about the game, experience interactive exhibits, and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game's elite, the Hall of Fame also operates more than 100 high school and collegiate games annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum, and events, visit hoophall.com or follow @hoophallu.
Basketball Hall of Fame Media Contact
Nicole Schuermann, Position Sports // mediarelations@positionsports.com
Jones joined the Cardinals this past spring after she played her first two collegiate seasons in the ACC at NC State. She is coming off a career year with the Wolfpack where she averaged 14.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.2 steals and 32.4 minutes per game. Jones led the team with 68 three-pointers, a mark that ranked 14th all-time for a single season in program history. She shot 41.2% from the field, 36.6% from three with 26 double-digit scoring games, six 20-point games and one 30-point game.
In the opening game of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, Jones tallied a career-high 30 points, going 9-of-15 from the field and 10-of-13 from the free throw line after drawing 12 fouls. Her 30 points marked the fourth most scored in an NCAA Tournament game in NC State program history.
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting in each of the three rounds starting on Friday, October 30. In February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2027 Nancy Lieberman Award will be narrowed to 10, then to five in March. In late March, the five finalists will be presented to Lieberman and the Hall of Fame's selection committee, where the winner will be selected. The selection committee for the Nancy Lieberman Award is composed of top women's college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
The winners of the 2027 Lieberman Award will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the four other members of the Women's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award (Shooting Guard), Cheryl Miller Award (Small Forward), Katrina McClain Award (Power Forward), and Lisa Leslie Award (Center).
For more information on the 2027 Nancy Lieberman Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophallu and #LiebermanAward on X and Instagram.
About the WBCA:
Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women's and girls' basketball at all levels of competition. The WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of a diverse community of coaches to those organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. For more information, visit us online: WBCA.org, follow @wbca1981, or call 1-770-279-8027.
About the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame:
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving, and celebrating the game of basketball at every level—men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches, and contributors worldwide. The Hall of Fame museum is home to nearly 500 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Welcoming close to 200,000 visitors each year, the museum invites fans to learn about the game, experience interactive exhibits, and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game's elite, the Hall of Fame also operates more than 100 high school and collegiate games annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum, and events, visit hoophall.com or follow @hoophallu.
Basketball Hall of Fame Media Contact
Nicole Schuermann, Position Sports // mediarelations@positionsports.com
Players Mentioned
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