MANHATTAN, Kan. – For the fourth time in her career, K-State senior center Ayoka Lee has been named to the Lisa Leslie Award Watch List. The award recognizes the top centers in women’s college basketball each season.
Presented by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), 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.
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting in each of the three rounds starting today. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2025 Lisa Leslie Award will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February to just five. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Leslie and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee, where a winner will be selected.
The 2025 Lisa Leslie 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 Nancy Lieberman Award (Point Guard), Ann Meyers Drysdale Award (Shooting Guard), Cheryl Miller (Small Forward), and the Katrina McClain Award (Power Forward), in addition to the Men’s Starting Five.
Other candidates for the Leslie Award are: Maria Gakdeng, North Carolina; Rayah Marshall, USC; Alexis Markowski, Nebraska; Anastasiia Boldyreva, Middle Tennessee; Lauren Betts, UCLA; Raegan Beers, Oklahoma; Taylor Jones, Texas; Lauren Ware, Texas A&M; Audi Crooks, Iowa State; Liz Scott, Oklahoma; Sedona Prince, TCU; Katelyn Young, Murray State; Aaronette Vonleh, Colorado; Sakima Walker, South Carolina; Allyson Fertig, Wyoming; Kennedi Jackson, Boston College; Nyla Harris, Louisville; Tommisha Lampkin, North Texas; Brooklyn Meyer, South Dakota State.
Lee adds Friday’s recognition to her preseason Associated Press All-America honorable mention selection, preseason All-America Second Team honors from The Athletic, selection to the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Women’s Player of the Year Watch List and being named the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year by the league’s coaches and her unanimous selection to the preseason All-Big 12 team.
During the 2023-24 season, Lee was a Second Team All-America selection by The Athletic, a Third Team All-America honoree by The Sporting News, an honorable mention Associated Press All-American, an honorable mention WBCA All-American, a 2024 John R. Wooden Award National Ballot top-15 candidate, an All-Big 12 First Team selection, a Big 12 All-Defensive Team member and Big 12 All-Tournament Team recipient.
Lee, a four-time All-Big 12 First Team selection, averaged 19.7 points on a .619 field goal percentage, 8.6 rebounds and 2.78 blocked shots last season. She was the first player in program history with two or more seasons of 500 or more points, 200 or more rebounds and 75 or more blocks. Her 75 blocks were the sixth-most in program history and was her third career season with 75 or more blocked shots.
She ranked sixth in the nation and paced the Big 12 in field goal percentage. Lee was third in the Big 12 in scoring average, second in the league and ninth in the nation for blocks per game and third in the Big 12 for rebounding average.
Lee recorded 14 games last season with 20 or more points including her second career 20-20 double-double with 24 points, 21 rebounds and five blocked shots against Oral Roberts.
In the 2023-24 season, Lee led the Big 12’s top defense with 21 games of two or more blocked shots including a season-high seven at UCF on Jan. 6 and at Iowa State on Feb. 14.
In her career, Lee ranks third in school history for points scored with 2,194, holds the school record for career scoring average at 19.2, owns the school record for career rebounds with 1,118, holds the school record for career rebounding average at 9.8, the school record holder for career blocks with 310 and blocks per game at 2.72 and owns the school record for career double-doubles with 60. She is the first player in program history with 300 or more career blocks and 100 or more career steals.
K-State women’s basketball season tickets are available now. Prices start at just $75 with a Wildcat 4-Pack to see every game in Bramlage. Order now by visiting kstatesports.com/tickets or calling 1-800-221-CATS.
K-State, ranked 13th in the preseason Associated Press and USA Today/WBCA Coaches polls, opens its 2024-25 season on Monday at 11 a.m. The Wildcats host Green Bay as part of Education Day. For tickets, visit kstatesports.com/tickets or call (800) 221-CATS.