Paopao Named Nancy Lieberman Award Finalist
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina senior Te-Hina Paopao is a finalist for the 2024 Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Award, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced today. To be considered for this prestigious award, now in its 25th year, candidates must exhibit the floor leadership, playmaking and ball-handling skills of Class of 1996 Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman.
Paopao is the nation’s top percentage 3-point shooter, hitting a career-high 48.6 percent from beyond the arc, and is among the SEC’s top 10 with 3.8 assists per game. She leads the SEC and is 19th in the nation in player offensive rating (Her Hoop Stats). Her 11.5 points per game include 15 games shooting at least 50.0 percent from the field and 11 games of at least three 3-pointers. In six games against ranked opponents, she is the Gamecocks’ top scorer at 15.0 points per game on 48.7 percent 3-point shooting. On the season, her 11.5 points per game and the 8.8 points per game teammates score on her assists, means Paopao has had her hand on 23.2 percent of the Gamecocks’ total offense. Against ranked opponents, that number rises to 29.8 percent.
Fans can support their favorite players in the remaining rounds by participating in Fan Voting, presented by Dell Technologies, starting Fri., Jan. 26, on HoopHallAwards.com. The Fan Vote will count as one committee vote during the finalist selection process. These five finalists will be presented to Lieberman and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee, which is comprised of top women’s college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers.
The 2024 Nancy Lieberman Award winner will be presented on a to be determined date, along with the other four members of the Women’s Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award (Shooting Guard), Cheryl Miller Award (Small Forward), Katrina McClain Award (Power Forward) and the Lisa Leslie Award (Center), in addition to the Men’s Starting Five.
No. 1/1 South Carolina closed out its second-straight undefeated regular season on Sunday and takes the top seed into the 2024 SEC Tournament in Greenville, S.C. The Gamecock’s two byes mean they open play at the event on Fri., Mar. 8, facing the winner of Thursday’s game between No. 9 seed Texas A&M and eighth-seeded Mississippi State, at noon.
Stay tuned to GamecocksOnline.com and the team’s social media accounts (@GamecockWBB) for more information on the program.
2024 Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Award Finalists
Georgia Amoore, Virginia Tech
Caitlin Clark, Iowa
Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
Te-Hina Paopao, South Carolina
Jacy Sheldon, Ohio State
