Courtesy of Rice Athletics Communications

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Rice senior center Nancy Mulkey has been named one of the Top 10 candidates for the Lisa Leslie Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced on Friday. The annual award in its fourth year recognizes the top centers in women's NCAA Division I college basketball.
 
Mulkey, the two-time defending Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year, currently ranks seventh in the NCAA this season in field goal percentage (61.0) and is 10th in the country in blocked shots per game (3.09).
 
The Cypress, Texas native anchors a Rice defense that is surrendering a league-low 56.7 points per contest and is holding opponents to 33 percent shooting (7th in NCAA).
 
Mulkey's 267 career blocks rank third among all active Division I players while she also ranks fifth in career blocked shot average (2.90). Mulkey has blocked at least one shot in every game this season and has six games with three or more rejections. In addition, Mulkey is averaging a team-best 7.8 rebounds per game.
 
To be considered for this prestigious award, candidates must exhibit the consistent play, positive attitude, and commitment to excellence of Class of 2015 Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie.
 
In March, five finalists will be presented to Ms. Leslie and the Hall of Fame's selection committee. 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.
 
The winner of the 2021 Lisa Leslie Center Award will be presented April 9, 2021, along with the four other members of the Women's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard Award, the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard Award, the Cheryl Miller Small Forward Award and the Katrina McClain Power Forward Award, in addition to the Men's Starting Five. College basketball fans can support their favorite players by participating in Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies.
 
Previous winners of the Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Award include Aliyah Boston, South Carolina (2020), Megan Gustafson, Iowa (2019) and A'ja Wilson, South Carolina (2018). For more information on the 2021 Lisa Leslie Award and the latest updates, log onto www.hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall and #LeslieAward on Twitter and Instagram. Starting Five Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies will go live today, February 5 at 1 p.m. EST on HoophallAwards.com.
 
2021 Lisa Leslie Award Candidates*
Queen Egbo                Baylor
Olivia Nelson-Ododa  Connecticut
Ayoka Lee                   Kansas St.
Elissa Cunane             NC State
Janelle Bailey              North Carolina
Shakira Austin             Ole Miss
Nancy Mulkey            Rice
Aliyah Boston              South Carolina
Kamilla Cardoso         Syracuse
Charli Collier               Texas
 
*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2020-21 season