Nancy Lieberman Award: "Paige Bueckers, it's yours go get 'em": College hoops fans react as UConn star, Olivia Miles and more get nominated for 2025 Nancy Lieberman Award

"Paige Bueckers, it's yours go get 'em": College hoops fans react as UConn star, Olivia Miles and more get nominated for 2025 Nancy Lieberman Award

By Lindsey Ware

Modified Mar 03, 2025 21:27 GMT

NCAA Womens Basketball: Marquette at Connecticut - Source: Imagn

The women's basketball regular season is drawing to a close, which means it's nearly award season. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the five finalists for the Nancy Lieberman Award, given to the top point guard in the country.

The finalists are Georgia Amoore of Kentucky, Notre Dame's Olivia Miles, Rori Harmon, who's a senior at Texas, UCLA's Kiki Rice and UConn's Paige Bueckers.

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College hoops fans responded with their reactions to the Nancy Lieberman Award's finalists. Some were passionate about their pick for the winner.

"PAIGEEEEE ITS YOURSSSSS GO GET EM BABYYYYY," a fan said.

"Paige Bueckers everybody! As she should🙂‍↕️"

"Olivia Miles🤭"

An X user predicts Olivia Miles will win the 2025 Nancy Lieberman Award

One fan took a slightly different approach, saying that the player he wants to win won't end up getting the award.

"They'll give it to Paige, but it's Olivia for me."

A reply says that Bueckers will win the award but that he believes Miles deserves it

Some questioned why certain players were included in the list or why other players were left off.

"Where Shayeanne Day-Wilson? If the're gonna have Kiki Rice in here might as well."

An X user questions why LSU's Shayeann Day-Wilson isn't included on the finalists list

"How Rori made it is beyond me😭"

A reply questions how Rori Harmon made the finalists list

"I don't see Raven Johnson. The supposed best point guard in the country."

A hoops fan questions why South Carolina's Raven Johnson isn't a finalist

Recent Nancy Lieberman Award winners

Only one of the top five finalists for the 2025 Nancy Lieberman Award has won the award previously. Paige Bueckers was given the accolade in 2021 following her freshman season at UConn.

In her award-winning season, Bueckers averaged a career-high 36.3 minutes per game. The then-freshman star put up 20.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and a career-high 5.7 assists per game. She shot 52.4% from the field and a career-high 46.4% from beyond the arch. Along with winning the Nancy Lieberman Award, the guard was named the USBWA National Player of the Year.

Former Iowa star Caitlin Clark has overtaken the Nancy Lieberman Award in each of the three seasons since Bueckers won. Now, however, Clark's college career has ended, and the award is up for grabs for any of the top five finalists.

About the author

Lindsey Ware is a college sports journalist at Sportskeeda with over five years of experience working with publications such as The News & Observer, The Daily Tar Heel, Triangle Tribune and Cardiac Cane. She has also worked for Major League Baseball, The Holly Springs Salamanders, The Tri-City Chili Peppers, Tuffy Talk, Super Meteors Basketball, Just Good Network and Living Sport.

Lindsey has a Bachelor’s Degree in Media and Journalism from UNC Chapel Hill. Her education allowed Lindsey to gain experience in sports communication, which she honed in internships. Other than being a storyteller and sports fanatic, Lindsey is also a social media and marketing specialist.

Her favorite college team is UNC, although she grew up a N.C. State fan as both of her parents are Wolfpack alumni. Michael Jordan was a huge deal in North Carolina when Lindsey was growing up, and after a summer spent at UNC’s Sports Journalism Camp back in high school, Lindsey was set on being a Tar Heel.

Lindsey's favorite college coach of all time is Roy Williams. During her time attending UNC Chapel Hill and writing for The Daily Tar Heel, Lindsey was lucky enough to meet and speak with Williams a few times. He was like a celebrity on UNC’s campus and was beloved for his coaching style and success with the Tar Heels, accumulating three NCAA championship titles in 18 years.

When not watching or writing about sports, Lindsey enjoys reading, trying new restaurants and coffee shops, and spending time with my friends, family and dog. She also likes to journal, watch movies and paint.

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Edited by Ribin Peter