Former Genesis Prep star Murekatete named to Lisa Leslie Award watch list

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Washington State women's basketball senior Bella Murekatete was selected to the 2023 Lisa Leslie Award watch list, as announced by the Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association on Friday.

This marks the second time that Murekatete, a 6-foot-3 post who starred at Genesis Prep Academy in Post Falls has been included on the Lisa Leslie Award watch list, which is presented annually to the best center in NCAA Division I women's college basketball. The senior is one of four Pac-12 players named to the Leslie Award watch list, as Murekatete is joined by Colorado's Quay Miller, Oregon's Sedona Prince and Stanford's Francesca Belibi.

Last season, Murekatete was named the Pac-12 Conference Co-Most Improved Player of the Year after posting a career-high in nearly every statistical category. She started all 30 games for WSU last season and averaged a career-high 10.2 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Her 1.7 blocks per game ranked fourth in the Pac-12 last season. The post player scored double digits in 17 games last season, including a career-high 22-point performance against San Jose State.

Murekatete is the second Washington State women's basketball player to be named to a watch list by the Basketball Hall of Fame and WBCA. Sophomore Charlisse Leger-Walker was selected to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award watch list this on Tuesday. Fans can vote for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award and the Lisa Leslie Award at http://www.hoophallawards.com/women/vote.php

Started in 2018, the Selection Committee for the Lisa Leslie Award is composed of top women's college basketball personnel including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.

WSU opens its season with an exhibition contest against Westmont (Calif.) on Oct. 30 at 2 p.m. at Beasley Coliseum.

Zags' Timme named CBS Sports Preseason National Player of the Year

For the second straight season, Gonzaga’s Drew Timme was named the CBS Sports Preseason National Player of the Year, the outlet announced Friday.

Timme was joined on CBS Sports’ Preseason All-American First Team by Kentucky big man Oscar Tshiebwe, North Carolina’s Armando Bacot, UCLA’s Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Houston guard Marcus Sasser.

Timme ranks 15th in program history with 1,521 points and 15th with 617 rebounds.