SPRINGFIELD, Mass.- Penn State women's basketball's Ashley Owusu was selected to the Ann Meyers-Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Watch List as announced by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Tuesday afternoon. The graduate transfer is no stranger to the magnitude of receiving this honor. Awusu took home the award in 2021 after a masterful sophomore season.
As the most prestigious award for shooting guards in women's college basketball, its list of candidates is selected by a national committee of top college basketball personnel. The committee selects 20 of the top shooting guards in NCAA Division I women's college basketball to join the watch list. The candidates will be narrowed down in late January with a final five announcement later in March.
One of the most decorated women's basketball college athletes joined the Lady Lions this summer as a transfer from Virginia Tech. Awusu spent one season with the Hokies but is a three-year veteran of the Big Ten, playing three seasons at Maryland, including the year she earned the title of Shooting Guard of the Year. Her resume does not end there, she was named a third team Associated Press All-American and garnered All-American honors from United States Basketball Writers Association.
The Woodbridge, Va. Native has proved herself as a lethal scorer, averaging 14.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists during her time in College Park. Awusu owns several conference accolades including first team All-Big Ten in 2021 and a second team appearance in 2020. Throughout both her sophomore and junior campaign, the standout guard led Maryland to two Big Ten Tournament titles and garnered the Jim & Kitty Delany Most Outstanding Player Award.
Awusu spent her senior season in Blacksburg, Va. as a Hokie, starting the first seven games and playing in 17 before a season-ending injury. Prior to being sidelined, she was named to the Naismith Trophy Watch List, Wooden Award Watch List and Ann Meyers-Drysdale Award Watch List ahead of the 2022-23 season.
2024 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Candidates
| Abbey Hsu | Columbia | Ashley Owusu | Penn State |
| Ta'Niya Latson | Florida State | Sammie Puisis | South Florida |
| Brynna Maxwell | Gonzaga | Hannah Jump | Stanford |
| Sara Scalia | Indiana | Shaylee Gonzales | Texas |
| Gabby Gregory | Kansas State | Quinesha Lockett | Toledo |
| Hailey Van Lith | LSU | Charisma Osborne | UCLA |
| Laila Phelia | Michigan | Paige Bueckers | UConn |
| Jaz Shelley | Nebraska | Gianna Kneepkens | Utah |
| Sonia Citron | Notre Dame | Charlisse Leger-Walker | Washington State |
| Celeste Taylor | Ohio State | JJ Quinerly | West Virginia |