IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa fifth-year Monika Czinano has been named to the 2023 Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Midseason Top 10 List, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Friday. Czinano was a semifinalist for the award in 2022.
The list is comprised of 10 student-athletes who are still in the running for the sixth annual Lisa Leslie Award that recognizes the best center in women’s basketball.
Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies will open up today so fans can vote for their favorite players for the top 5 list that will be coming out in late February. The top player selections from the fan vote will get an additional vote towards making the next round.
This list will be narrowed down to five in late February and then the finalists will be selected in late March which will be presented to Lisa Leslie and the selection committee. The winner of this award will be presented on a to be determined date. Presentation details will be announced at a later date.
Previous winners of the Lisa Leslie Award are Aliyah Boston, South Carolina (2020-22), Megan Gustafson, Iowa (2019) and A’ja Wilson, South Carolina (2018).
Czinano has shot better than 60% from the floor in eight straight games dating back to Jan. 1, 2023. Czinano recorded the third best shooting performance in Big Ten women’s basketball history against Michigan State going 11-of-11. She is averaging 18.5 points per game and 6.4 rebounds. She became the fifth Iowa women’s basketball player to eclipse more than 2,000 career points earlier this year.
A season ago, she earned All-Big Ten accolades, and was an Associated Press and Women’s Basketball Coaches Association All-America honorable mention. For the second time in her career, she was named to both of the preseason all-conference teams.
Tickets to see Czinano and the sixth ranked Hawkeyes are available by calling the ticket office at 1-800-IA-HAWKS or online at hawkeyesports.com/tickets.