BERKELEY – California center Ila Lane was among 20 players named to the preseason watchlist for the 2024 Lisa Leslie Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced on Friday. This marks Lane's third time being named to the award's preseason watchlist.
 
Named after the three-time All-American, 1994 National Player of the Year and Class of 2015 Hall of Famer, the annual award in its seventh year recognizes the top centers in women's NCAA Division I college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.
 
"Ila has been a dominant center her entire career and is deserving to be recognized as one of the best in the country," Cal head coach Charmin Smith said. "She brings a high basketball IQ along with a strong and active low block presence to our team. I expect her to have an immediate impact for our squad and make her mark in the Pac."
 
A native of Moraga, Lane is a graduate transfer from UC Santa Barbara and is one of 19 active players in NCAA Division I women's basketball to record at least 1,000 points and 800 rebounds for her career and just one of three active players to achieve that milestone in 75 games or less.
 
Lane brought a long list of accolades from her time as a Gaucho when she arrived in Berkeley this past offseason. Last season, she led the Big West in double-doubles with 10 while also leading the conference in total rebounds (267) and rebounding average (8.1) on her way to being named to the All-Big West First Team. Lane also led the Big West in rebounding (9.7) and double-doubles (12) during the 2021-22 season.
 
During her freshman campaign in 2019-20, she averaged 13.0 rebounds per game, which led the country and set a school record for single-season rebounding average. That same season she also notched 19 double-doubles, ranking first among freshmen and fourth overall in the country on her way to earning All-America honorable mention honors.
 
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting, presented by Dell Technologies, in each of the three rounds starting today.
 
The list will be narrowed down to 10 in late January, with plans to announce the final five late in February. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Leslie and the Hall of Fame's selection committee, where a winner will be selected. Players have the ability to play themselves on and off the list until the five finalists are selected.
 
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