Illinois junior forward Berry Wallace is officially on the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Award watch list. This isn’t just some casual mention; she’s one of only 20 players nationwide and one of five from the Big Ten to get this inaugural recognition for the top small forward in women’s college basketball.
Her Sophomore Season Was a Straight-Up Masterclass
You wanna know why Wallace is on this list? Look no further than her sophomore campaign. She started all 34 games for the Illini, putting up a ridiculous 18.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. She finished the year with 626 total points, which, get this, is the sixth-most in a single season in program history. And it wasn’t a fluke, she had 16 games where she hit at least 20 points, ranking fifth in the Big Ten and landing her in the top 25 nationally. Unanimous First Team All-Big Ten honors? Yeah, she earned those.
Illinois is Building a Serious Contender
Wallace isn’t just a standout, she’s a trailblazer for Coach Shauna Green’s program. She’s the first Illinois player under Green to make the Cheryl Miller Award preseason watch list. This puts her in elite company with Kendall Bostic, Genesis Bryant, and Makira Cook, who have all been selected to Naismith Starting 5 preseason watch lists under Coach Green. She’s also in good company on this specific list, joining other Big Ten powerhouses like Maryland’s Bri McDaniel, Michigan’s Olivia Olson, Nebraska’s Natalie Potts, and UCLA’s Addy Brown.
Get ready to have your say because fan voting for the Cheryl Miller Award kicks off October 30. The list gets cut down to 10 candidates in February, then five finalists in March. You know Berry Wallace is going to be locked in, trying to make sure her name stays right there at the top. We’ll be watching every bucket.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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