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University of Massachusets Athletics
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Breen Named 2023 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player Of The Year Semifinalist
February 08, 2023 | Women's Basketball
Breen is one of 10 members tabbed as a semifinalist for the award, presented by Her Hoop Stats.
HOPEWELL, N.J. - Graduate student Sam Breen is one of the 10 semifinalists for the 2023 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award, presented by Her Hoop Stats, the organization announced on Wednesday.
Breen garners the honor for the second consecutive year, as the 2021-22 A-10 Player of the Year, was selected a 2022 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Semifinalist.
The preseason watch list includes representatives from 10 schools and eight conferences. Breen is the only member of the Atlantic 10 Conference to be tabbed to the list.
Breen has averaged 17.4 points per game, totaling 401 points, so far this season, while averaging 10.2 rebounds per game (235 total). The graduate student ranks fourth in the A-10 in scoring with her points per game average, and is tied for first with her rebounds per game average, while sitting 19th in the nation. Breen has recorded 13 double-doubles this season, tying for 11th in the country, and moving her career total to 53. She also registered her first career triple-double against St. Bonaventure (12/31), tying for third in the NCAA. In defensive rebounds per game, Breen is tied for 14th in the nation (7.6; 175 total), while placing 17th with her total rebounds and tying for 30th in field goals made (157 total).
The Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, native tabbed Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conference First Team honors, while landing on the 2022-23 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Preseason and Midseason Awards Watch Lists, and the 2023 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Women's Watch List. Additionally, Breen was selected to the 20223-23 Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 Watch List and was named to the FIU Thanksgiving Classic All-Tournament Team.
To be eligible for the honor, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be "mid-major". In October, the 25-player preseason watchlist was announced. The 10 semifinalists will be announced in February, with five finalists being announced in early March. The winner of the accolade will be announced in late March. Over the course of the season, the list will see players on and off the list, as Her Hoop Stats monitors season statistics.
The first Becky Hammon Award was presented in 2020 to South Dakota's Ciara Duffy and Florida Gulf Coast's Kierstan Bell took home the honor in 2021 and 2022.
Becky Hammon was a three-time All-American during her career at Colorado State and led the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1999, marking the only appearance in the program's history to date. In 1999, Hammon was signed to the New York Liberty and was traded to the San Antonio Start in 2007, where she played for the remainder of her career. She retired in 2014 as a six-time All-Star and two-time All-WNBA First Team honoree, and in 2016 was named one of the top-20 players in WNBA history.
In 2014, Hammon became the second female coach in NBA history when she began coaching for the San Antonio Spurs, while being the only woman head coach in the NBA Summer League, as well as the only woman to be a member of the NBA All-Star coaching staff. Hammon is currently the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces and won the 2022 WNBA Championship in her first season.
2023 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Semifinalists
McKenna Hofschild – Colorado State
Abbey Hsu – Columbia
Keishana Washington – Drexel
Yvonne Ejim – Gonzaga
Kiki Jefferson – James Madison
Sam Breen – Massachusetts
Alex Fowler – Portland
Myah Selland – South Dakota State
Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu – USF
Desi-Rae Young – UNLV
Breen garners the honor for the second consecutive year, as the 2021-22 A-10 Player of the Year, was selected a 2022 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Semifinalist.
The preseason watch list includes representatives from 10 schools and eight conferences. Breen is the only member of the Atlantic 10 Conference to be tabbed to the list.
Breen has averaged 17.4 points per game, totaling 401 points, so far this season, while averaging 10.2 rebounds per game (235 total). The graduate student ranks fourth in the A-10 in scoring with her points per game average, and is tied for first with her rebounds per game average, while sitting 19th in the nation. Breen has recorded 13 double-doubles this season, tying for 11th in the country, and moving her career total to 53. She also registered her first career triple-double against St. Bonaventure (12/31), tying for third in the NCAA. In defensive rebounds per game, Breen is tied for 14th in the nation (7.6; 175 total), while placing 17th with her total rebounds and tying for 30th in field goals made (157 total).
The Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, native tabbed Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conference First Team honors, while landing on the 2022-23 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Preseason and Midseason Awards Watch Lists, and the 2023 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Women's Watch List. Additionally, Breen was selected to the 20223-23 Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 Watch List and was named to the FIU Thanksgiving Classic All-Tournament Team.
To be eligible for the honor, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be "mid-major". In October, the 25-player preseason watchlist was announced. The 10 semifinalists will be announced in February, with five finalists being announced in early March. The winner of the accolade will be announced in late March. Over the course of the season, the list will see players on and off the list, as Her Hoop Stats monitors season statistics.
The first Becky Hammon Award was presented in 2020 to South Dakota's Ciara Duffy and Florida Gulf Coast's Kierstan Bell took home the honor in 2021 and 2022.
Becky Hammon was a three-time All-American during her career at Colorado State and led the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1999, marking the only appearance in the program's history to date. In 1999, Hammon was signed to the New York Liberty and was traded to the San Antonio Start in 2007, where she played for the remainder of her career. She retired in 2014 as a six-time All-Star and two-time All-WNBA First Team honoree, and in 2016 was named one of the top-20 players in WNBA history.
In 2014, Hammon became the second female coach in NBA history when she began coaching for the San Antonio Spurs, while being the only woman head coach in the NBA Summer League, as well as the only woman to be a member of the NBA All-Star coaching staff. Hammon is currently the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces and won the 2022 WNBA Championship in her first season.
2023 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Semifinalists
McKenna Hofschild – Colorado State
Abbey Hsu – Columbia
Keishana Washington – Drexel
Yvonne Ejim – Gonzaga
Kiki Jefferson – James Madison
Sam Breen – Massachusetts
Alex Fowler – Portland
Myah Selland – South Dakota State
Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu – USF
Desi-Rae Young – UNLV
Players Mentioned
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