IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa women’s basketball senior Monika Czinano has been named to the Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Top-10 Watch List, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Friday.
The list is comprised of 10 student-athletes who are front-runners for the award named after the three-time All-American and 1994 National Player of the Year. The annual award, in its fifth year, recognizes the top centers in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball.
Czinano averages 20.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, while ranking third in the country in field-goal percentage (.459), ninth in field goals made (180), 15th in points per game (20.3), 23rd in final points (20.3) and 49th in free-throw percentage (.848).
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. In March, five finalists will be presented to Ms. Leslie and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. Fans will also have the opportunity to vote for their favorite finalist.
The winner of the 2022 Lisa Leslie Award will be presented alongside the other four members of the Women’s Starting Five.
Iowa’s Megan Gustafson became the second recipient of the award in 2019 and the first Hawkeye.