BATON ROUGE, La. – LSU’s Amiya Joyner was named to the Katrina McClain Award Preseason Watchlist Thursday by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as one of the Top 20 power forwards across the country in women’s basketball.
The Katrina McClain Award, now in its ninth year, recognizes the top power forwards in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball. It is named after the two-time All-American, 1987 National Player of the Year, and Class of 2012 Hall of Famer.
Across its first eight awardees, Aneesah Morrow was the first LSU player to receive the Katrina McClain Award as the best power forward in the nation.
Joyner played three seasons at East Carolina before transferring to LSU. The 6-2 forward averaged 12.8 points and 9.6 rebounds per game as a First Team All-AAC player and came to LSU with 41 career double-doubles and a versatile interior game that will stretch defenses with her ability to play with her back to the basket as well as facing up.
Joyner, a product of Farmville, N.C., has an impressive knack for rebounding, owning three of the top five rebounding seasons in ECU history. Her 905 career rebounds are the fourth most in program history, and she is one of two players in ECU history with multiple 20-rebound games and ranks No. 4 in program history with 132 blocks.
In the Tigers’ first exhibition contest against Mississippi College, Joyner accounted for 15 points and seven rebounds. LSU returns to action on Thursday to face Langston in its final exhibition before the Tigers welcome Houston Christian to the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Nov. 4.
Fans can support their favorite player by participating in fan voting starting Friday, October 31. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2026 Katrina McClain Award will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February, to just five. In March, the five finalists will be presented to McClain and the Hall of Fame’s selection committees, where winners will be selected. The Selection Committees for the Katrina McClain Award are composed of top women’s college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
The winner of the 2026 McClain Award 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 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Lisa Leslie Awards (Center)
MiLaysia Fulwiley was named to the Nancy Lieberman Award Preseason Watchlist on Monday, and Flau’jae Johnson received recognition on the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Preseason Watchlist on Tuesday. Mikaylah Williams was selected to the Cheryl Miller Award Preseason Watchlist on Wednesday.