10/30/2026 1:38:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Syracuse women's basketball sophomore center Uche Izoje has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2027 Lisa Leslie Award, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced Friday afternoon by the organization. The award, presented in partnership with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), recognizes the top center in NCAA Division I women's college basketball. Izoje is one of 20 candidates on this year's list. Fan voting starts today.
A 6-foot-3 native of Asaba, Nigeria, Izoje enters her second season at Syracuse as the reigning ACC Freshman of the Year. She was also selected to the Preseason All-ACC team, as voted on by the league's media and head coaches.
Izoje's debut season was among the most decorated in program history. She started all 33 games and averaged 15.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game while shooting 55 percent from the field. She set Syracuse freshman records for points (514) and rebounds (303), and her 85 blocks led the ACC and ranked fourth nationally. Izoje also earned a spot on the Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Women's College Player of the Year Watch List, presented by the Atlanta Tipoff Club, and is one of ESPN's 10 players nationally with the most breakout potential entering the 2026-27 season. She elected to return to Syracuse after weighing her options in the offseason.
The Lisa Leslie Award, now in its 10th year, is named after the three-time All-American, 1994 National Player of the Year and Class of 2015 Naismith Hall of Famer.
2027 Lisa Leslie Award Candidates
- Sienna Betts, UCLA
- Alex Covill, Washington State
- Audi Crooks, Oklahoma State
- Breya Cunningham, Texas
- Sharnecce Currie-Jelks, Murray State
- Aalyah Del Rosario, Vanderbilt
- Jana El Alfy, UConn
- Ava Heiden, Iowa
- Uche Izoje, Syracuse
- Amiya Joyner, Louisville
- Kate Koval, Baylor
- Elsa Lemmilä, Ohio State
- Gracie Merkle, Minnesota
- Khyala Ngodu, West Virginia
- Arianna Roberson, Duke
- Clara Silva, TCU
- Ashley Sofilkanich, Michigan
- Clara Strack, Kentucky
- Ciera Toomey, North Carolina
- Tilda Trygger, Washington
Syracuse begins its season on Tuesday, Nov. 3, when the Orange host Sacred Heart at 6 p.m. in the JMA Wireless Dome. Tickets are on sale now at cuse.com/basketballtickets.
For more on the Orange, follow @CuseWBB on social media.
