On Tuesday, Her Hoops Stats announced that one of their annual awards will be named after Rapid City native and current San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon. The Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year award will recognize the top ranked player of the 25 mid-major conferences.
In an interview with Her Hoops Stats, an organization that provides insights and coverage to all levels of women’s basketball in the United States, Hammon released this statement on the namesake.
“I think it’s awesome to recognize players who maybe don’t have the glitz and glamour or privilege of being on national TV, but are doing great things on their journey through college hoops.” – Becky Hammon
Hammon was a standout basketball player in high school for Stevens, which included such accolades as South Dakota Miss Basketball and South Dakota Player of the Year.
After high school she went on to have an All-American (3X) career at Colorado State, followed by sixteen-year career in the Women’s National Basketball Association with New York and San Antonio. Hammon was a six-time all-star in the WNBA and since retirement has had her No. 25 jersey retired by the San Antonio Stars organization.
Since 2014, Hammon has been an assistant coach in the National Basketball Association with the San Antonio Spurs. She was the first full-time assistant coach in NBA history, and the first full-time female assistant coach of the big-four sports leagues in the United States – NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL.
The Her Hoops Stats Becky Hammon Player of the Year award will be given out at the conclusion of the basketball season on April 1st.
Here are the top-15 mid-major players that are on the ‘watch list’ for the award this season.
Bella Alarie – Princeston
Ciani Cryor – Texas Southern
Denia Davis-Stewart – Merrimack
Ciara Duffy – South Dakota
Dyaisha Fair – Buffalo
Chanette Hicks – Norfolk State
Stella Johnson – Rider
Stephanie Karcz – Loyola Maryland
Micaela Kelly – Central Michigan
Natalie Kucowski – Lafayette
Ericka Mattingly – Kansas City
Madison Nelson – Denver
Raina Perez – California State Fullerton
Rachel Thompson – Colgate
Ivy Wallen – North Alabama
Of the fifteen players currently ‘in the hunt’ for the award is fellow Rapid City native and St. Thomas More alum Ciara Duffy. Duffy is a senior at the University of South Dakota who averages 17.2 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and 5.1 APG.
