Congratulations: Te-Hina Paopao named Lieberman Award finalist

South Carolina women’s basketball senior Te-Hina Paopao has been named one of the Top 10 candidates for the 2025 Nancy Lieberman Award, the Naismith Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) announced on Monday. The award honors the nation’s top point guard in NCAA Division I women’s basketball.

This marks Paopao’s second consecutive season on the prestigious list, having been a finalist for the award last year.

Paopao, an All-America selection last season, has continued to excel in her senior year. Averaging 10.6 points per game, Paopao has elevated her game against ranked opponents, posting 11.9 points per game in the Gamecocks ten matchups against top ranked teams. She is shooting a career-best 48.4% from the field.

Additionally, Paopao ranks second on the team with 2.8 assists per game, contributing to 22.4% of the Gamecocks’ total offense. Her assist numbers rise to 3.1 per game in SEC play, and she holds a 1.75 assist-to-turnover ratio, which ranks 13th in the SEC.

The Nancy Lieberman Award, now in its 26th year, is named for Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman and recognizes a point guard who demonstrates exceptional leadership, playmaking, and ball-handling skills. The Top 10 list will be narrowed to five finalists in March, with the winner to be announced later in the month.

Fans can vote for their favorite candidates beginning Feb. 7 at HoopHallAwards.com, with the Fan Vote contributing to the finalist selection process.

Previous winners of the Nancy Lieberman Award include Caitlin Clark (three-time winner), Paige Bueckers, Sabrina Ionescu (three-time winner), Kelsey Plum and Sue Bird (three-time winner)..

Other candidates on this year’s Top ten list include Georgia Amoore (Kentucky), Katie Dinnebier (Drake), Olivia Miles (Notre Dame), Serena Sundell (Kansas State), and Harmoni Turner (Harvard).

Paopao and the No. 2 South Carolina will hit the road for their next game as they take on Georgia in Athens, G.A. on Feb. 6.