USU's Jennifer Schlott Named Final Candidate for Nancy Lieberman Award

Utah State [University] women’s basketball senior guard Jennifer Schlott has been named one of the final 22 candidates for the Nancy Lieberman Award, honoring the top point guard in the nation. The award is given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The award recognizes the top point guard in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball. Candidates exhibit the floor leadership, play-making and ball-handling skills of Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman.

“We are extremely proud at Utah State to have Jennifer Schlott as one of the final 22 candidates for the Nancy Lieberman award,” said USU Head Coach Jerry Finkbeiner. “I think, personally as her coach at USU, that she is the best player in the Mountain West, and that is saying a lot. But averaging 25 points per game doing so well with her assists and who she is as a person, she is very deserving of this acknowledgement."

The Aggies’ starting point guard has started every game this season and has scored in double figures in every game. She is first on the team and in the Mountain West in scoring, averaging 25.5 points per game, which is also fourth in the nation. She is also first in the MW in assists, averaging 6.0 apg, which is also 21st in the country.

The senior is the only player in the Beehive State and in the Mountain West to be named to the list. Schlott has earned Mountain West Player of the Week honors four times this season, and recently set both the Utah State and the Mountain West single-season scoring record with 664 points so far this season.

“We are honored to be recognizing these 22 athletes for their strengths, skills and commitment to the game of basketball and are excited to move forward in the selection process,” Lieberman said. “All of these young women deserve to be on the list for this well-respected award and deserve recognition for their determination.”

Previous winners of the Nancy Lieberman Award include last year’s recipient Skylar Diggins (Notre Dame), Sue Bird (Connecticut), Renee Montgomery (Connecticut), Diana Taurasi (Connecticut), Lindsey Harding (Duke), Courtney Vandersloot (Gonzaga), Temeka Johnson (LSU), Kristi Toliver(Maryland), Ivory Latta(North Carolina), andAndrea Riley (Oklahoma State).

Utah State is currently 11-15 overall and 5-10 in the Mountain West. Schlott and the Aggies are in action Saturday, March 1, against San Jose State at 7 p.m. in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. The game closes the home portion of the schedule.

Live stats will be available this week by going to www.utahstateaggies.com. Live audio for the game is available by going to the "Listen Live" link on the front page of the Utah State Athletics website.

Fans can follow USU women's basketball at on Twitter, as well as on Facebook. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter or on Facebook. Utah State women's basketball is now also on Instagram.

2014 Nancy Lieberman Award Candidates

Odyssey Sims, Baylor

Jerica Coley, Florida International

Yashira Delgado, Florida State

Damika Martinez, Iona College

Ashley Deary, Northwestern

Tiffany Bias, Oklahoma State

Fantasia Hilliard, Sacramento State

Amber Orrange, Stanford

Natasha Cloud, St. Joseph's

Joanna Harden, Troy

Brittany Boyd, California