University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Photo by: Ross Turteltaub
Betts Tabbed Lisa Leslie Award Center of the Year Finalist
March 07, 2025 | Women's Basketball
LOS ANGELES – Junior Lauren Betts has been named a top five finalist for the 2025 Lisa Leslie Award, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) announced Friday.
The UCLA center was named unanimous Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year by conference coaches Tuesday for her league-leading 2.8 blocks and league second-best 9.9 rebounds per game. Betts set the UCLA single-game record for blocks in her junior campaign, totaling 73 on the year.
Betts has 16 double-doubles on the season; seven of her last 11 have been with 20+ points. The center has scored 20+ points in eight of UCLA's last 13 wins in which she appeared. The center averages 29.8 minutes per game, which ranks 30th in the Big Ten. She ranks sixth in total points (511), fourth in rebounds (257), first in blocks (73) and third in field goals made (217) in the conference.
The Lisa Leslie Award, now in its eighth year, recognizes the top centers in Division I women's college basketball. It is named after the three-time All-American, 1994 National Player of the Year, and Class of 2015 Hall of Famer.
2025 Lisa Leslie Award Finalists
Audi Crooks – Iowa State
Raegan Beers – Oklahoma
Sedona Price – TCU
Taylor Jones – Texas
Lauren Betts – UCLA
Fan Vote
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting starting on Friday, March 7, on hoophallawards.com.
The Fan Vote will count as one committee vote during the finalist selection process. Later this month, the finalists will be presented to Abdul-Jabbar and Leslie and the Hall of Fame's selection committees. The Selection Committees for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Lisa Leslie 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 2025 Abdul-Jabbar and Leslie 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 Karl Malone and Katrina McClain Awards (Power Forward).
The UCLA center was named unanimous Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year by conference coaches Tuesday for her league-leading 2.8 blocks and league second-best 9.9 rebounds per game. Betts set the UCLA single-game record for blocks in her junior campaign, totaling 73 on the year.
Betts has 16 double-doubles on the season; seven of her last 11 have been with 20+ points. The center has scored 20+ points in eight of UCLA's last 13 wins in which she appeared. The center averages 29.8 minutes per game, which ranks 30th in the Big Ten. She ranks sixth in total points (511), fourth in rebounds (257), first in blocks (73) and third in field goals made (217) in the conference.
The Lisa Leslie Award, now in its eighth year, recognizes the top centers in Division I women's college basketball. It is named after the three-time All-American, 1994 National Player of the Year, and Class of 2015 Hall of Famer.
2025 Lisa Leslie Award Finalists
Audi Crooks – Iowa State
Raegan Beers – Oklahoma
Sedona Price – TCU
Taylor Jones – Texas
Lauren Betts – UCLA
Fan Vote
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting starting on Friday, March 7, on hoophallawards.com.
The Fan Vote will count as one committee vote during the finalist selection process. Later this month, the finalists will be presented to Abdul-Jabbar and Leslie and the Hall of Fame's selection committees. The Selection Committees for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Lisa Leslie 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 2025 Abdul-Jabbar and Leslie 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 Karl Malone and Katrina McClain Awards (Power Forward).
Players Mentioned
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