UTEP PG Katia Gallegos Earns Spot on Watch List for 2021 Nancy Lieberman Award

Stellar UTEP sophomore point guard Katia Gallegos earned a spot to the Watch List of the 2021 Nancy Lieberman Award, as announced by The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association on Monday.

The prestigious award honors the top point guard in NCAA Division I college basketball, and the watch list is selected by a national committee of top college basketball personnel. The winner of the 2021 Nancy Lieberman Award will be selected on April 9, 2021, along with four other finalists.

Gallegos, an El Paso native and graduate of Franklin High School, led Conference USA in assists (154) in her freshman season. Last year she also had a team-high average in assists per game (5.1) and steals per game (1.7). She averaged 9.6 points per game for UTEP in 2019-20.

To be considered for this prestigious award, candidates must "exhibit the floor leadership, play-making and ball-handling skills of Class of 1996 Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman."

“The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is proud to celebrate and honor both men and women at all levels of the game,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame in a statement. “The student-athletes we are recognizing this week on the Women’s Starting Five watch lists are tremendous athletes who deserve to be applauded. We look forward to evaluating this year’s top point guards with Nancy Lieberman, a Hall of Famer who paved the way for today’s female athletes.”

2021 Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Award Candidates*

*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2020-21 season