SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced today the 20 watch list candidates for the 2020 Cheryl Miller Award. University of Tennessee junior wing Rennia Davis is on that list.
Named after the three-time Naismith Player of the Year and Class of 1995 Hall of Famer, the annual award in its third year recognizes the top small forwards in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball. Davis was a semifinalist for the award as a sophomore.
Last season, the 6-foot-2 Davis led UT in scoring (14.9), rebounding (7.7) and free throw percentage (.856) in her second season on Rocky Top. She ranked No. 1 in the SEC in free throw percentage, No. 8 in rebounding and No. 12 in scoring a year ago. She was a second-team All-SEC selection by the coaches and media, and earned WBCA All-America honorable mention accolades.
Davis’ scoring average in 2018-19 tied for No. 5 all-time by a UT sophomore, while her rebound average was the ninth-best for a second-year performer at Tennessee. Her sophomore-year double-double total (9) was the sixth-most by an active player in the SEC last season and the second-most by an underclassman.
“Cheryl Miller has long been recognized as one of the greats of our game, dominating at USC and winning two NCAA Championships,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “The student-athletes being considered for the Cheryl Miller Award are undoubtedly some of the most gifted in the game today and they should feel proud to be named to the watch list this season.”
The Selection Committee for the Cheryl Miller 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 Cheryl Miller Award will be narrowed to just 10. In March, five finalists will be presented to Ms. Miller and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee.
The winner of the 2020 Cheryl Miller Small Forward Award will be presented at The College Basketball Awar
Previous winners of the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Award include Bridget Carleton, Iowa State (2019) and Gabby Williams, Connecticut (2018).
For more information on the 2020 Cheryl Miller Award and the latest updates, log onto www.hoophallawards.com
2020 Cheryl Miller Award Candidates*
Didi Richards, Baylor
Megan Walker, Connecticut
Chante Stonewall, DePaul
Francesca Pan, Georgia Tech
Ashley Joens, Iowa State
Rhyne Howard, Kentucky
Kaila Charles, Maryland
Courtney Woods, Northern Illinois
Sam Brunelle, Notre Dame
Ana Llanusa, Oklahoma
Vivian Gray, Oklahoma State
Satou Sabally, Oregon
Mikayla Pivec, Oregon State
Shadeen Samuels, Seton Hall
DiJonai Carrington, Stanford
Mia Davis, Temple
Rennia Davis, Tennessee
Kayla Wells, Texas A&M
Michaela Onyewere, UCLA
Borislava Hristova, Washington State
*Players can play their way on
About Cheryl Miller:
Cheryl Miller took women’s basketball to a new level, literally and figuratively. With her tremendous leaping ability, athletic dexterity and grace, Miller established a legacy throughout her high school and college career that is unparalleled. Playing for Riverside Polytechnic High School (CA), in 1982, Miller set the single game scoring record of 105 points. As a collegiate forward at the University of Southern California from 1982 to 1986, Miller helped bring women’s basketball to the forefront of American sports. In 1984, she led the Olympic team to gold averaging more than 16 points per game. Her superior athletic ability and engaging persona placed her among the elite in the world of college and professional athletics. In 1986, Sports Illustrated named Miller as the best male or female player in college basketball. In a spectacular career, Miller scored 3,018 total career points and was a four-time All-America. Miller was named Naismith Player of the Year three times and earned the Wade Trophy once. Miller was indicted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999 and the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2010. Since retiring from professional play, Miller has had a very successful career as a WNBA GM, professional and collegiate coach, and sportscaster for TNT, ESPN and NBC for the 1996 Olympics.
-UT Athletics
