The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Harmon selected finalist for Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year award
03.09.2026 | Women's Basketball
Harmon holds the Texas career records for assists and steals.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Texas women's basketball's Rori Harmon has been named 1 of 5 finalists 2026 Nancy Liberman Point Guard of the Year Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) announced on Monday.
Now in its 26th year, the award recognizes the top point guard in women's NCAA Division I college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the Mid-Season Top 10 candidates. To be considered for this prestigious award, candidates exhibit the floor leadership, playmaking and ball-handling skills of Class of 1996 Hall-of-Famer Nancy Lieberman.
Rori Harmon is the Texas career assist leader with 939 assists. She broke a 40-year old record and has now extended that record by 163 assists. Harmon also holds the Texas career steals record with 368, breaking that record which had stood since 1980. In her collegiate career she has 1,566 points, 939 assists, 369 steals and 631 rebounds. Harmon is the first and only player in NCAA Division I women's basketball to reach 1,500 points, 900 assists, 600 rebounds and 350 steals. Harmon ranks third in the country this season in assist to turnover ratio.
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting starting March 13, on hoophallawards.com. The Fan Vote will count as one committee vote during the finalist selection process.
The 2026 Nancy Lieberman Award winner will be presented on a to be determined date, along with the other four members of the Women's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award (Shooting Guard), Cheryl Miller Award (Small Forward), Katrina McClain Award (Power Forward) and the Lisa Leslie Award (Center), in addition to the Men's Starting Five.
Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Finalists
Rori Harmon Texas
Tonie Morgan Kentucky
Raven Johnson South Carolina
Olivia Miles TCU
Hannah Hidalgo Notre Dame
About Nancy Lieberman:
Playing hoops on the rough-and-tumble Harlem courts, Brooklyn-bred Nancy Lieberman learned to play a physical, aggressive style of basketball unlike other women of her time. As a 5'10" point guard, Lieberman was taller than many of the guards of her era, and her ability to drive to the hoop, dish out assists, and grab hard-fought rebounds served her well during her stellar career. She compiled over 2,400 points, 1,100 rebounds and 961 assists as she led the Lady Monarchs to a 125-15 record, 1 WNIT Title and back to back National Championships in 1979 and 1980 (102-6 her last 3 years).
Before her illustrious career began at ODU, Nancy made the 1975 USA Pan Am team that won the Gold Medal in Mexico City she was a HS Jr at Far Rockaway HS at the time. 1976 as a member of the USA's first Women's Olympic which won the Silver Medal. Team Lieberman made history by being the youngest Olympian in basketball ever, male or female (which still stand today) Lieberman led Old Dominion University to back-to-back AIAW national championships in 1979 and 1980. She was twice named as the Wade Trophy winner — a basketball first as the nation's top female athlete during those two seasons, 3-time All-American. Lieberman was the two-time winner of the Broderick Cup as well., Lieberman played professionally in the first women's pro league in the WBL 1980-81 and in 1984 in the WABA. Earning WBL MVP honors with the Dallas Diamonds in 1981, she led the team to the 1984 WABA championship and was league MVP.
In 1986, she signed to be the first women to play in a men's professional league in the USBL with the Springfield Fame, and in 1987 with the Long Island Knights. She joined the 1987 Harlem Globetrotter world tour with the Washington Generals. 1997 Lieberman made history in the inaugural season of the WNBA, playing for the Phoenix Mercury at the age of 39 and in 2008 playing for the Detroit Shock at age 50! Her coaching career started in 1998 as the Head Coach/GM for the Detroit Shock taking the Shock to the playoffs in year 2. In 2011, she was the first women Head Coach hired in the NBA D-League for the Dallas Mavericks affiliate the Texas Legends and led them to the playoffs. In 2015, she became only the second women hired as an Assistant Coach in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings. She was named a recipient of the 2017 Mannie Jackson Basketball's Human Spirit Award for her on-going philanthropic work across the country through her Nancy Lieberman Charities, changing the lives of underserved youth across the country. In 2018 Nancy Lieberman became the 1st Female Head Coach in a Men's Professional League with the BIG3 League for team Power. Nancy lead team Power to a 2018 Championship victory and was selected Coach of the Year, becoming the first female in history to be awarded Coach of the Year. Follow Nancy on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook @Nancylieberman and go to nancyliebermancharities.org for more information.
