October 29, 2026 01:00 PM | Women's Basketball
SPRINGFIELD, MASS. — The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the 20 watch-list candidates for the 2027 Karl Malone Award and, in partnership with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), the 20 watch-list candidates for the 2027 Katrina McClain Award. The annual Karl Malone Award, named after the Class of 2010 Hall of Famer and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, celebrates its 13th year by recognizing the top power forward in NCAA Division I men's college basketball. The Katrina McClain Award, now in its 10th year, recognizes the top power forward in NCAA Division I women's college basketball. It is named after the two-time All-American, 1987 National Player of the Year, and Class of 2012 Hall of Famer.
*Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2026-27 season.
Fans can support their favorite player by participating in Fan Voting starting Friday, October 30. In February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2027 Karl Malone and Katrina McClain Awards will be
| 2027 Karl Malone Award Candidates* | 2027 Katrina McClain Award Candidates* | ||
| Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje | Duke | Nunu Agara | Maryland |
| Alex Condon | Florida | Meghan Andersen | Fairfield |
| Jaylen Crocker-Johnson | Minnesota | Carys Baker | Louisville |
| Keanu Dawes | Kansas | Jaliya Davis | Kansas |
| Thijs De Ridder | Virginia | Skylar Forbes | West Virginia |
| Xavier Edmonds | TCU | Toby Fournier | Duke |
| J.P. Estrella | Michigan | Madison Francis | Mississippi State |
| Keyshawn Hall | St. John's | Sophie Glancey | Santa Clara |
| Na'jai Hines | UConn | Fatmata Janneh | Tennessee |
| Braden Huff | Gonzaga | ZaKiyah Johnson | LSU |
| Jaxon Kohler | BYU | Chloe Kitts | South Carolina |
| David Mirkovic | Illinois | Grace Oliver | Boston College |
| Paulius Murauskas | Arizona State | Me'Arah O'Neal | Kentucky |
| Miikka Muurinen | Arkansas | Cearah Parchment | Illinois |
| Caden Pierce | Purdue | Khamil Pierre | NC State |
| David Punch | Texas | Sa'Myah Smith | Oklahoma |
| Malik Reneau | Miami | Lara Somfai | TCU |
| Aiden Sherrell | Indiana | Sarah Strong | UConn |
| JT Toppin | Texas Tech | Lauren Whittaker | Gonzaga |
| Joseph Tugler | Houston | McKenna Woliczko | Iowa |
Fans can support their favorite player by participating in Fan Voting starting Friday, October 30. In February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2027 Karl Malone and Katrina McClain Awards will be
narrowed to 10, then to five in March. In late March, the five finalists will be presented to Malone, McClain, and the Hall of Fame's selection committees, where winners will be selected. The selection committees for the Karl Malone and Katrina McClain Awards are composed of top men's and women's college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
The winner of the 2027 Malone and McClain Awards will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the other four members of the Men's and Women's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy and Nancy Lieberman Awards (Point Guard), Jerry West and Ann Meyers Drysdale Awards (Shooting Guard), Julius Erving and Cheryl Miller Awards (Small Forward), and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Lisa Leslie Awards (Center).
Previous winners of the Karl Malone Award include Cameron Boozer, Duke (2026), Johni Broome, Auburn (2025), Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana (2023), Keegan Murray, Iowa (2022), Drew Timme, Gonzaga (2021), Obi Toppin, Dayton (2020), Zion Williamson, Duke (2019), Deandre Ayton, Arizona (2018), Georges Niang, Iowa State (2016), and Montrezl Harrell, Louisville (2015). Previous winners of the Katrina McClain Award are Sarah Strong, UConn (2026), Aneesah Morrow, LSU (2025), Kiki Iriafen, Stanford (2024), Maddy Siegrist, Villanova (2023), NaLyssa Smith, Baylor (2021-22), Ruthy Hebard, Oregon (2018, '20), and Napheesa Collier, UConn (2019).
For more information on the 2027 Karl Malone and Katrina McClain Awards and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophallu, #MaloneAward, and #McClainAward on X and Instagram.
About the WBCA:
Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women's and girls' basketball at all levels of competition. The WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of a diverse community of coaches to those organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. For more information, visit us online: WBCA.org, follow @wbca1981, or call 1-770-279-8027.About the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving, and celebrating the game of basketball at every level—men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches, and contributors worldwide. The Hall of Fame museum is home to nearly 500 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Welcoming close to 200,000 visitors each year, the museum invites fans to learn about the game, experience interactive exhibits, and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game's elite, the Hall of Fame also operates more than 100 high school and collegiate games annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum, and events, visit hoophall.com or follow @hoophallu.Basketball Hall of Fame Media Contact
Nicole Schuermann, Position Sports // mediarelations@positionsports.com
Players Mentioned
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