Cheryl Miller Award Watch List

Mara Braun, a current sophomore from Minnesota, has earned a spot on the watchlist for the 2024 Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Award. This decision was a collaborative effort between the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. Now in its seventh year, the award aims to recognize the outstanding small forward in women’s NCAA Division I collegiate basketball. The Watch List, featuring 20 promising athletes, was curated by a national committee composed of distinguished figures in college basketball. It’s noteworthy that fan engagement is actively encouraged in this initiative.

Over the next few months, the 2024 Cheryl Miller Award’s watch list of 20 players will undergo successive reductions. By late January, it will be narrowed down to a cohort of 10, and in March, the final five contenders will be unveiled. These five will be evaluated by Cheryl Miller herself and the discerning Hall of Fame’s selection committee. The eventual honoree will emerge from this distinguished group, earning the coveted award.

2022-23: Freshman Season

During Mara Braun’s freshman season, she was named to the Big Ten’s All-Freshman Team, playing in 29 out of 30 Gopher games. Leading the team in scoring with 15.6 points per game, she also averaged 2.6 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game. Her shooting percentages were impressive at 36.7 percent from the floor, 34.9 percent from three, and 87.5 percent from the free-throw line. Defensively, she stood out, ranking second on the team in steals with 44.

Accomplishments from her freshman year include:

Big Ten Performance Stats:

• Averaged 13.9 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per game during Big Ten play.

College Debut Highlights:

• Made her college debut against Western Illinois (11/7) with 21 points, the third-highest scoring debut by a freshman in school history.
• Hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer against Lehigh (11/13), securing a 101-99 victory with a season-high 34 points, four steals, and five three-pointers.

Notable Game Performances:

• Dominated against Wake Forest, scoring 27+ points, making 5+ three-pointers, recording 3+ steals, and blocking 1+ shots.
• In her Big Ten debut against Penn State (12/3), scored 26 points, contributed six assists, grabbed three steals, and maintained a perfect free throw record (11-of-11) in a double-overtime win.
• Delivered a career-high eight assists and 14 points against Kentucky (12/7).
• Facilitated the game-winning three-pointer to Isabelle Gradwell against Nebraska (2/15) and achieved her Big Ten season high of 28 points on 9-of-13 shooting, along with seven rebounds and zero turnovers in 33 minutes.
• Led the Gophers with 17 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter, against Purdue (2/26) and secured the final go-ahead free throws in the fourth quarter, finishing 6-of-6.

Postseason Records:

• Set a freshman program record with 25 points against Penn State (3/1), marking the highest point total in a postseason debut by a freshman in program history.
• Tied Rachel Banham for the second-most points by a freshman in any Big Ten Tournament game, with 25 points (Record is Gadiva Hubbard with 28).

Freshman Season Achievements:

• Ranked second in the Big Ten in points per game among freshmen, averaging 15.6 points.
• Averaged the third-most minutes per game by a freshman in Minnesota history (32.8 minutes).
• Tied for the fifth-most points by a freshman in Minnesota history (453 points).
• Achieved the fourth-best points per game in a single season in school history (15.6 points).
• Ended the season with the fourth-most field goals attempted by a freshman in Minnesota history (414 attempts).
• Recorded the third-most three-pointers made by a freshman in a single season at Minnesota (65 made).
• Attempted the third-most three-pointers by a freshman in school history (186 attempted).
• Set a freshman single-season record with an 87.5 percent free-throw shooting accuracy.

Gopher Women’s Basketball has kicked off! Cheer on Mara and the team as they embark on another hopeful season. Remember to vote for Mara Braun on her journey to make history.