Hillmon Named B1G Preseason Co-Player of the Year, U-M Listed in Top Five
11/11/2020 10:30:00 AM | Women's Basketball
ROSEMONT, Ill. -- University of Michigan women's basketball junior Naz Hillmon was named the Big Ten Preseason Co-Player of the Year by the coaches, while being named Preseason All-Big Ten by both the coaches (unanimous) and media, as announced by the conference on Wednesday (Nov. 11). It is the first time Michigan has had a player named conference Player of the Year in the preseason.
In addition, Michigan was picked to finish third in the conference by the coaches and fourth by the media after going 21-11 and reaching the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament last season. The Wolverines are listed at No. 25 in the first Associated Press poll of the season and are No. 24 in ESPN's Way-Too-Early poll.
Hillmon followed up a stellar freshman season with an even better sophomore campaign. In her second season, Hillmon ranked in the top five in the Big Ten in scoring (17.4 ppg), rebounding (8.7 rpg) and field-goal percentage (.567). She led the league and ranked 13th nationally in offensive rebounds per game, grabbing 4.3 per contest. The Cleveland native started all 32 games, scoring in double figures 28 times with 11 double-doubles. She topped the 20-point mark 14 times, highlighted by a 30-point, 10-rebound performance against No. 18 Iowa (Feb. 2). She was unanimously named to the All-Big Ten first team by both the coaches and media, while earning WBCA All-America honorable mention. She was one of five finalists for the Katrina McClain Award, given to the nation's top power forward.
Michigan returns three double-figure scorers from last season in Hillmon, Amy Dilk (11.6 ppg) and Akienreh Johnson (10.3 ppg), in addition to welcoming transfer Leigha Brown (14.4 ppg) to the lineup.
With the Big Ten continuing to work on a scheduling format during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wolverines have not released a revised 2020-21 schedule after the NCAA approved moving the first contest date to Nov. 25. Programs across the country started practice on Oct. 14.
