SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- USF redshirt junior guard Ioanna Krimili was one of 25 players to be named to the 2023 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award Preseason Watch List, presented by Her Hoop Stats. This will be the third season that the Becky Hammon Award will be awarded as Florida Gulf Coast's Kierstan Bell is the two-time reigning recipient, while South Dakota's Ciara Duffy won the inaugural award during the 2019-20 season. 

This season's preseason watch list features representatives from 25 schools and 13 different conferences. The Atlantic 10 and MAC led all conferences with four watch list members, tying the previous record for most representatives on the preseason watch list. 

Krimili enters her fourth season competing on the Hilltop as the reigning leading-scorer in the WCC and a two-time All-WCC first team player. The Heraklion, Greece native enters her fourth season as a Don looking to further place her stamp on the program's tradition of success as she broke the USF record for made three-point shots in 2020-21 during her first full season.  

USF and the Krimili led Dons head into the 2022-23 season looking to take the next step following back-to-back appearances in the WNIT. The Dons open their season at home against Cal State East Bay on November 7 from War Memorial at the Sobrato Center. 

Award Eligibility & Schedule:
To be eligible for this award, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be "mid-major." The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award, and thus ineligible: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC. In January, 15 players will be named to the mid-season watch list. The 10 semifinalists will be announced in February, with five finalists being announced in early March. The winner will be announced in late March. The list is fluid and players may play their way on or off the list over the course of the season.
 
About Becky Hammon:
Hammon was a three-time All-American during her career at Colorado State and led the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1999, the program's only appearance to date. She was signed by the New York Liberty in 1999 and traded to the San Antonio Stars in 2007, where she played the rest of her career. Hammon retired in 2014 as a six-time All-Star and a two-time All-WNBA First Team honoree. In 2016 she was named one of the top 20 players in WNBA history and was recently named to the W25.
 
Hammon became the second female coach in NBA history when she began coaching for the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. Additionally, Hammon is the only woman to be a head coach in the NBA Summer League as well as the only woman to be a member of an NBA All-Star coaching staff. Currently, Hammon is the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces and won the 2022 WNBA Championship in her first season.
 
About Her Hoop Stats:
Her Hoop Stats was founded in 2017 to unlock better insight about women's basketball at all levels. We began as a statistics site focused on providing consistent, reliable, and easy-to-access data about women's basketball for both mobile and desktop environments. Her Hoop Stats has expanded to become a leading independent voice in the women's game providing content through our newsletter, podcast network, YouTube channel, and social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

2023 Becky Hammond Mid-Major Player of the Year Award Preseason Watch List:
Destinee Wells, Belmont, Jr., G
Lexi Fleming, Bowling Green, Jr., G
McKenna Hofschild, Colorado St., Sr., G
Abbey Hsu, Columbia, Jr., G
Tishara Morehouse, FGCU, Gr., G
Bryanna Maxwell, Gonzaga, Gr., G
Kayla Spruill, La Salle, Gr., G/F
Sam Breen, Massachusetts, Gr., F
Peyton Scott, Miami (OH), Sr., G
Megan Walstad, Milwaukee, R-Jr., F
Katelyn Young, Murray St., Jr., F
Shaiquel McGruder, New Mexico, Sr., F
Skyler Gill, North Alabama, So., G/F
A'Jah Davis, Northern Illinois, Sr., F
Kayla Padilla, Penn, Sr., G
Alex Fowler, Portland, Jr., F
Mackenzie DeWees, Quinnipiac, Gr., G
Addie Budnik, Richmond, Jr., F
Isnelle Natabou, Sacramento St., Jr., C
Brooke Flowers, Saint Louis, Sr., F/C
Ioanna Krimili, San Francisco, R-Jr., G
Myah Selland, South Dakota St., R-Sr., F
Quinesha Lockett, Toledo, Sr., G/F
Starr Jacobs, UT Arlington, R-Sr., F
Jordyn Jenkins, UTSA, Jr., F

JOIN US ON THE HILLTOP:
To purchase tickets to any USF Dons women's basketball games during the 2022-23 season, please click here. 

SPONSOR THE DONS:
The University of San Francisco Athletics Department would like to acknowledge and thank our primary sponsor - Provident Credit Union - for their continued support of USF Athletics. Interested in sponsoring the Dons? Please contact Frank Allocco, the Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director of External Relations, at fallocco@usfca.edu or at (415) 422-4561. 

FOLLOW US:
For updates and more information on the USF women's basketball program, follow the Dons @USFDonsWBB on Twitter, @USFDonsWBB on Instagram and @USFDonsWBB on Facebook.