North Carolina State University Athletics
Cunane Named to Lisa Leslie Award Watch List for Third-Straight Season
10/29/2021 1:01:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Annual award honors the top center in women’s NCAA Division I basketball
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Senior center Elissa Cunane of the NC State women's basketball team has been named one of 20 preseason watch list candidates for the 2022 Lisa Leslie Award.
It marks Cunane's third season in a row starting her season on the watch list for the honor that recognizes the top center in women's NCAA Division I basketball. She was one of five finalists for the Lisa Leslie Award in both 2020 and 2021.
Cunane is the fifth NC State player to be tabbed to a positional preseason watch list. That number is tied with South Carolina for second nationally, and only UConn has more with six on the Lieberman, Meyers-Drysdale, Miller, McClain and Leslie watch lists.
An AP and USBWA Second Team All-American during the 2020-21 campaign, Cunane was also a Consensus First Team All-ACC honoree, a Naismith Player of the Year semifinalist and a 2021 John R. Wooden Award National Ballot honoree last season. She most recently was named ACC Preseason Player of the Year coming into the 2021-22 season.
The Summerfield, N.C., native averaged a team-leading 16.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 53.3 percent shooting during her junior season. Her field-goal percentage was ranked 26th nationally to conclude the season, and she shot 50+ percent from the flooring 13 outings, including two perfect shooting nights of 6-of-6 or better. Cunane scored in double figures in all but one game last season, and she had six 20+ point outings and seven double-doubles.
Cunane shined in the Wolfpack's postseason run, starting off March by being named the 2021 ACC Tournament MVP. She averaged 23.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 62.2 percent (25-of-40) shooting in three Wolfpack wins during the conference tournament. She scored a season-high 27 points in the ACC quarterfinal matchup with Virginia Tech, with 18 of those 27 coming in the second half to put her just one point shy of tying her career high. Cunane also ended the 2020-21 campaign with back-to-back doubles in NCAA Tournament games against South Florida (12 points, 11 rebounds) and Indiana (15 points, 12 rebounds).
Wolfpack fans are encouraged to participate in this year's Fan Voting during each of the three rounds. In late January, the watch list will be narrowed down to 10 players. In March, five finalists will be presented to Ms. Leslie and the Hall of Fame's selection committee. Details for the presentation of this year's Lisa Leslie Award winner will be announced at a later date.
For more information about the award and to vote beginning Oct. 29, visit HoopHallAwards.com.
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