SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Texas A&M’s N’dea Jones was one of 20 standout power forwards named to the Watch List for the 2020 Katrina McClain Award, as announced by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Thursday. The award is given annually to the nation’s top power forward.
Jones averaged 7.7 points and 11.3 rebounds in 2018-19, ranking second in the SEC and 14th nationally in rebounds. Her 384 rebounds ranked second on Texas A&M’s single-season list and were the most ever for a Texas A&M sophomore.
She averaged 11.5 points and 11.0 rebounds in the 2019 SEC/NCAA Tournaments, notching three of her 10 double-doubles in the postseason. During the 2018-19 season, Jones had 11 games of 10+ points, 11 games with 15+ rebounds and became the first Texas A&M player to have two games of 20+ rebounds in the same season.
Jones joins teammates Chennedy Carter and Kayla Wells as watch list selections for the Basketball Hall of Fame’s positional awards. Carter was named as a candidate for the Nancy Lieberman Award (top point guard) Monday, and Wells earned a selection to the Cheryl Miller Award Watch List (top small forward) Wednesday.
Named after the two-time All-American and 1987 National Player of the Year, the annual award in its third year recognizes the top power forwards in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball.
The Selection Committee for the Katrina McClain Award is composed of top women’s college basketball personnel including media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers. New to the award this season is Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies in each of the three rounds. By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2020 Katrina McClain Award will be narrowed to just 10. In March, five finalists will be presented to Ms. McClain-Pittman and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee.
2020 Katrina McClain Award Candidates
| Cate Reese | Arizona |
| Unique Thompson | Auburn |
| Lauren Cox | Baylor |
| Summer Hemphill | Buffalo |
| Sara Rhine | Drake |
| Leaonna Odom | Duke |
| Kiah Gillespie | Florida State |
| Peyton Williams | Kansas State |
| Ayana Mitchell | LSU |
| Stephanie Jones | Maryland |
| Naz Hillmon | Michigan |
| Taiye Bello | Minnesota |
| Ruthy Hebard | Oregon |
| Brooklyn McDavid | Pacific |
| Eleah Parker | Pennsylvania |
| Bella Alarie | Princeton |
| Francesca Belibi | Stanford |
| Joyner Holmes | Texas |
| N’dea Jones | Texas A&M |
| Hanna Crymble | Vermont |
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics