Edited release
10/27/26
University of Iowa women’s basketball guard “Chit Chat” Wright has been named to the 2027 Nancy Lieberman Award preseason watch list, The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and Women’s Basketball Coaches Association made the announcement Monday.
Wright is one of 20 players nationally selected to the preseason watch list for the award, which recognizes the top point guard in NCAA Division I women’s basketball.
The third-year guard enters the 2026-27 season following a breakout campaign in her first year with the Hawkeyes. Wright started all 31 games she played, averaging 12.5 points, 4.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds per contest. The Atlanta native totaled 387 points and 138 assists, with her assist total ranking seventh on Iowa’s single-season list for second-year players.
Wright earned third-team All-Big Ten honors from the conference’s coaches and honorable mention recognition from the media. She connected on 70 3-pointers at a 44.0 percent clip, recorded five 20-point performances and dished out a career-high 12 assists against Minnesota.
Now in its 28th year, the Nancy Lieberman Award recognizes point guards who demonstrate exceptional floor leadership, playmaking and ball-handling skills. Former Hawkeye Caitlin Clark earned the honor three consecutive seasons from 2022-24.
Fan voting begins this Friday. The 20-player watch list will be narrowed to 10 candidates in February before five finalists are announced in March. The winner will be selected by the Hall of Fame’s award selection committee.
No. 10 Iowa will host Maryville in an exhibition Thursday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena before opening the regular season Monday, Nov. 2, against Towson. Both games are scheduled for a 7pm start, and will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.