SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Saint Joseph's senior guard Natasha Cloud has been named a Watch List Finalist for the 2015 Nancy Lieberman Award, officials from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Monday.
Ranking 11th nationally in assists per game (6.5) and leading the Atlantic 10 in total assists (169), Cloud has been named one of 15 Watch List Finalists for the nation's top honor for point guards. Originally selected as one of 30 players named to the Nancy Lieberman Award Watch List in early February, Cloud joins a select list of six players named a Nancy Lieberman Award Watch List Finalist two straight years, joining Cal's Brittany Boyd, Iona's Damika Martinez, Iowa's Samantha Logic, Notre Dame's Lindsay Allen and UConn's Moriah Jefferson.
“These 15 candidates exhibit floor leadership, play-making and ball-handling skills similar to those of Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman. We are pleased to be recognizing them for their commitment to the game,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Named to the Naismith Trophy Women's Basketball 50 Watch List earlier this season, Cloud currently leads the Hawks in assists, scoring (12.9 ppg), rebounds (152) and steals (449), while playing a league-best 37.5 minutes per game. Voted an A-10 Preseason First Team and A-10 All-Defensive Team honoree, Cloud has also helped the Hawks earn a share of the Philadelphia Big 5 title and currently ranks second among all active players for assists per game at 6.19 in a career.
Transferring to Hawk Hill in 2011-12 after playing as a freshman at Maryland, Cloud has proven to be one of the top players in program history. In less than three seasons, the 6-foot-guard has etched her name in Saint Joseph's record books several times as she enters the week third all-time in assists (554), tied for ninth in steals (170), tied for 17th all-time in rebounds (515) and 23rd in in points (997).
Setting the single-season mark for assists (243) a season ago, she has helped the Hawks to two straight NCAA Tournament appearances, two Big 5 titles and the 2013 A-10 championship. A selfless player on the court, the Broomall, Pa., native has been recognized several times for her play as she was named the 2013-14 A-10 Defensive Player of the Year, the Most Outstanding Player of the 2013 A-10 Championship and twice earned to the A-10 All-Defensive Team and All-Big 5 honors.
A premier Selection Committee made up of top college basketball personnel including Hall of Famers, media members, head coaches and sports information directors was appointed by the Hall of Fame to review the candidates. The list will be narrowed down to a final five by mid-March with the Lieberman Award winner announced during the WBCA Award Show in Tampa, Florida at the Women's Final Four.
Previous winners of the Nancy Lieberman Award include last year's recipient Odyssey Sims (Baylor), Skylar Diggins (Notre Dame), Sue Bird (Connecticut), Renee Montgomery (Connecticut), Diana Taurasi (Connecticut), Lindsey Harding (Duke), Courtney Vandersloot (Gonzaga), Temeka Johnson (LSU), Kristi Toliver (Maryland), Ivory Latta (North Carolina), and Andrea Riley (Oklahoma State).
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was invented, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level – professional, collegiate and high school, for both men and women on the global stage.
