K-State Athletics
MANHATTAN – K-State junior center Ayoka Lee has been named a top-10 candidate for the 2022 Lisa Leslie Award, presented by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).
This is the second straight season Lee has been named a top-10 candidate for the Lisa Leslie Award.
The Lisa Leslie Award is named after the three-time All-American, 1994 National Player of the Year and Class of 2015 Hall of Famer.
College basketball fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies at hoophallawards.com. In late February, five finalists will be presented to Ms. Leslie and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee where a winner will be selected.
The winner of the 2022 Lisa Leslie Center Award 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 Nancy Lieberman Point Guard Award, the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard Award, the Cheryl Miller Small Forward Award and the Katrina McClain Power Forward Award, in addition to the Men’s Starting Five.
Lee is a candidate for every top women’s basketball honor in the nation as she is on the Midseason Team for the 2022 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Watch List, the 2022 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year top-15, a 2022 Wooden Award Late Season Watch List member and the 2022 Wade Trophy Watch List.
For the season, Lee leads the Big 12 and ranks third in the nation in scoring average (24.0 ppg), leads the Big 12 and is second in the nation in total points (577) and leads the nation in field goals made (238). She is second in the Big 12 in rebounding average (10.3 rpg).
The product of Byron, Minnesota, tops the Big 12 in field goal percentage (.578) and blocks (3.2 bpg). She also leads the Big 12 in 30-point games (8) and is second in the league and 11th in the nation in double-doubles (14).
A two-time United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week recipient, Lee’s 577 points and 238 made field goals are new career single-season highs. She is the second player in program history with 500 or more points, 225 or more rebounds and 70 or more blocks.
Lee, a four-time Big 12 Player of the Week selection and a three-time ESPN.com National Player of the Week honoree, is second in the Big 12 in rebounding (10.3 rpg) and eighth in free throw percentage (.765).
Lee is the only player in the nation to average 20 or more points, 10 or more rebounds and 3 or more blocks.
In league play, Lee leads the Big 12 in scoring (24.3 ppg), field goal percentage (.585) and rebounds (9.4 rpg). She is third in the league in blocked shots (2.4 bpg).
K-State will complete its two-game road trip on Saturday night, as the Wildcats visit Kansas for the Dillons Sunflower Showdown at 6 p.m. Saturday’s game will air on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. The game will also be available on the K-State Sports Network and for free at kstatesports.com and on the K-State Sports app.
2021-22 Lisa Leslie Award Top-10
Queen Egbo, Baylor
Ayoka Lee, Kansas State
Elissa Cunane, NC State
Jenna Staiti, Georgia
Mackenzie Holmes, Indiana
Monika Czinano, Iowa
Shakira Austin, Ole Miss
Aliyah Boston, South Carolina
Tamari Key, Tennessee
Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech