IU guard Grace Berger and forward Mackenzie Holmes were both named to the Naismith Trophy women’s watch list, announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club on Friday.
Berger is a unanimous preseason All-Big Ten selection as she enters her fifth season with the Hoosiers. She earned a trio of All-American honorable mention accolades last season as she was a first team All-Big Ten honoree as well. The Louisville, Ky. native led Indiana in scoring with 16.2 points and 4.7 assists per game last season. She additionally added 6.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. She scored in double figures 30 times and had three double-doubles. Berger is also a 2023 Cheryl Miller watchlist candidate which honors the nation’s top small forward.
Holmes averaged 15.2 points and a 60 percent clip from the floor in an injury shortened campaign as a junior. Despite only seeing action in 25 games, Holmes still earned WBCA All-American honorable mention and a place on the All-Big Ten second team. She led the program with 7.0 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and shot 80.8 percent from the free throw line last season and tied Berger with a team-high three double-doubles. The Gorham, Maine native is also a preseason All-Big Ten selection for the upcoming campaign and returns to the Naismith Trophy women’s watch list again this season. She was also one of the top 20 for the 2023 Lisa Leslie Award watch list, which honors the nation’s top center.
The Naismith Trophy midseason 30 team will be announced in early January, and then the competition will be narrowed down to 10 national semifinalists in early March. Following those results, four finalists will be named on March 21, 2023, and the winner of the 2023 Naismith Trophy for Women’s Player of the Year will be announced on March 29, 2023.
Indiana hosts its only exhibition game when it faces Kentucky Wesleyan tonight (Friday, Nov. 4) at 7 p.m. ET inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
SEE ALSO:
Grace Berger and Mackenzie Holmes look to lead IU into a new era
The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”
- Find us on Facebook: thedailyhoosier
- You can follow us on Twitter: @daily_hoosier
- Seven ways to support completely free IU coverage at no cost to you.