Stanford Women's Basketball Star Makes Second Prestigious Award Watch List

This Stanford star may be ready to break out in her junior campaign

Flags at Stanford | Stanford Athletics / ISI Photos

The recognition keeps on coming for Stanford women's basketball. Despite a down year that saw the Cardinal miss the NCAA tournament for the first time in nearly 40 years, expectations for the program this season are sky high. Bringing in a talented recruiting class to go along with the returning starters, Stanford looks like a team ready to compete in the ACC.

And while last season the program lacked a true superstar, the Cardinal are entering this year with multiple candidates to be the team's marquee player. From freshmen Lara Somfai, Hailee Swain and Alex Eschmeyer to the returners in Nunu Agara, the Cardinal could be a force.

And for Agara, she enters this season as the favorite to be the star player, receiving all sorts of award recognition this preseason. On the same day that it was announced that she made the Naismith Award Watch List, it was also announced that Agara made the McClain Award Watch List.

Breaking out last season while averaging well over 15.0 points per game, Agara become a key player for the Cardinal. Now that she is in her junior season, she could look to use this season to raise her WNBA draft stock. A two-way player known for her offensive and defensive tenacity, Agara will be pivotal if Stanford wants to return to form this season.

The Cardinal will face a lot of stiff competition in the ACC, most notably Notre Dame, Duke and North Carolina, among others, and will have their work cut out for them. But if players like Agara really step up, then the Cardinal could be a team to watch when it comes to winning the ACC.

Below is a press release sent out by Stanford Athletics.

Nunu Agara on McClain Award Watch List

STANFORD, Calif. –Stanford junior Nunu Agara is one of 20 players on the watch list for the 2026 Katrina McClain Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Thursday. The annual award in its ninth year recognizes the top power forward in women's college basketball.

The selection committee is composed of top women's college basketball personnel including media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers. By late January, the watch list of 20 players will be narrowed to 10. In late February, five finalists will be presented to McClain and the Hall of Fame's selection committee. Fans will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite finalist at www.hoophallawards.com.

An All-ACC second team selection last season, Agara was also voted to the 10-person Preseason All-ACC Team and earlier today was named to the Naismith Trophy Watch List.

She was Stanford’s leading scorer (15.8 ppg) and rebounder (7.6 rpg) a season ago and is the ACC’s third-leading returning scorer (Hannah Hidalgo – Notre Dame; Kymora Johnson - Virginia) and its second-lead­ing returning rebounder (Jessica Peterson - Miami). She scored in double figures in 21 games, had six 20-point efforts and tied for eighth in the ACC with nine double-doubles.

Agara increased her scoring average by 10.4 points and her rebounding average by 4.7 boards over her freshman year and was one of seven major conference underclassmen to average 15.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.

She had 29 points and 13 rebounds in an overtime loss at No. 5 LSU on Dec. 5 and shot 75.0 percent from the floor (12-of-16), becoming the fifth DI player since 2002-03 to have 29 points and 13 rebounds in a true road game against an AP top five opponent and the only one to do it on better than 60.0 percent shooting.

Stanford has had a pair of Naismith Starting 5 winners previously. In 2024, Kiki Iriafen won the Katrina McClain Award and Cameron Brink won the Lisa Leslie Award (center).