Van Lith, Conner Selected to Drysdale Award Watch List
10/29/2024 12:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
First time in program history two players have received consideration
FORT WORTH – TCU officially boasts one of the nation's strongest projected backcourts.
Hailey Van Lith and Madison Conner were named to the preseason watch list for Ann Meyers-Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Award ahead of the 2024-25 season.
The TCU duo were two of 20 players chosen. They are the first Frogs to be tabbed to the Drysdale Award preseason watch list since Zahna Medley in 2016.
Van Lith and Conner were two of four Big 12 players honored alongside Sarah Andrews (Baylor) and JJ Quinerly (West Virginia).
Van Lith's name is embedded in Drysdale Award lexicon. She has been selected to the preseason watch list annually since her sophomore season at Louisville in 2022. Van Lith was a Drysdale Award finalist the following year. She averaged 19.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game in leading the Cardinals to a third consecutive Elite Eight.
The Drysdale Award honor marks the fourth preseason accolade Van Lith has garnered ahead of her TCU debut. She was one of 50 players chosen to the Naismith Women's Player of the Year Watch List on Monday. Van Lith was crowned Preseason Big 12 Co-Newcomer of the Year and received Preseason All-Big 12 team recognition on Oct. 4.
Conner received Naismith Starting 5 award consideration for the first time ever. The 5-11 senior is the top returning 3-point shooter in Division I basketball. Conner is the nation's active leader in 3-pointers per 40 minutes and per 100 possessions (6.2) averages. She ranked second only to Caitlin Clark in both categories last season. The 2023-24 campaign saw Conner post the seventh-highest 3-pointers per 40 minutes average (4.2) in the last six years among Division I players. Conner averaged 19.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.2 steals per night en route to All-Big 12 second team accolades last season. She drained a school record and Big 12 best 100 three's despite missing four weeks due to injury.
The Naismith Starting 5 awards are voted on by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). Watch lists condense to 10 players in January and narrow to a final five in late March.
Van Lith and Conner begin their final collegiate seasons on Nov. 5 in TCU's season-opener vs. Houston Christian.
