STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford junior Nunu Agara is one of 20 players on the watch list for the 2026 Katrina McClain Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Thursday. The annual award in its ninth year recognizes the top power forward in women's college basketball.
The selection committee is composed of top women's college basketball personnel including media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers. By late January, the watch list of 20 players will be narrowed to 10. In late February, five finalists will be presented to McClain and the Hall of Fame's selection committee. Fans will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite finalist at www.hoophallawards.com.
An All-ACC second team selection last season, Agara was also voted to the 10-person Preseason All-ACC Team and earlier today was named to the Naismith Trophy Watch List. She was Stanford’s leading scorer (15.8 ppg) and rebounder (7.6 rpg) a season ago and is the ACC’s third-leading returning scorer (Hannah Hidalgo – Notre Dame; Kymora Johnson - Virginia) and its second-leading returning rebounder (Jessica Peterson - Miami). She scored in double figures in 21 games, had six 20-point efforts and tied for eighth in the ACC with nine double-doubles.
Agara increased her scoring average by 10.4 points and her rebounding average by 4.7 boards over her freshman year and was one of seven major conference underclassmen to average 15.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. She had 29 points and 13 rebounds in an overtime loss at No. 5 LSU on Dec. 5 and shot 75.0 percent from the floor (12-of-16), becoming the fifth DI player since 2002-03 to have 29 points and 13 rebounds in a true road game against an AP top five opponent and the only one to do it on better than 60.0 percent shooting.
Stanford has had a pair of Naismith Starting 5 winners previously. In 2024, Kiki Iriafen won the Katrina McClain Award and Cameron Brink won the Lisa Leslie Award (center).
Agara and the Cardinal begin their regular season at home on Monday, Nov. 3 against UNC Greensboro (7 p.m.). Season tickets, flex plans, group tickets, and single-game seats are now on sale for Stanford’s 2025-26 season. Fans can explore availability by clicking here or by contacting the Stanford Athletics ticket office at 800-STANFORD or athleticstickets@stanford.edu.