NORFOLK, Va. – Chanette Hicks of Norfolk State women's basketball has been named to the Dawn Staley Award mid-season watch list. In 2013, the Phoenix Club of Philadelphia established the Dawn Staley Award to recognize the nation's best guard in Women's Division I college basketball.

Hicks is included on the watch list with 14 other student-athletes representing the ACC, SEC, PAC-12, Big 12, MAAC, AAC and MAC. She is one of three players from schools not currently ranked in the AP Top 25, joining Rider's Stella Johnson and Buffalo's Dyaisha Fair.

Hicks has done her part to be mentioned with the big-time names, ranking top 10 in the country in multiple statistical categories. She is second in DI averaging 5.1 steals per game, and fourth in field goals made with 171 buckets so far this season. Her 21.2 points per game ranks seventh in the country.

One of the most notable players on the watch list is Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu, who leads the country in assists (8.6 apg) and triple-doubles (5). Only Ionescu and Loyola Maryland's Stephanie Karcz have more triple-doubles than Hicks this season. Hicks' triple-double came against Virginia Lynchburg on Nov. 14, scoring 20 points to go along with 14 assists and 11 steals.

The Dawn Staley Award is named after current South Carolina women's basketball head coach. The award is given annually to a player who exemplifies the skills that Dawn possessed throughout her career; ball handling, scoring, her ability to distribute the basketball and her will to win.

Staley went on to a four-year career at the University of Virginia that featured three trips to the NCAA Final Four, including a championship game appearance in 1991.  She finished her career as the only player in ACC history to record more than 2,000 points, 700 rebounds, 700 assists and 400 steals, and is one of three players at Virginia to have her jersey retired.

In 2013, the inaugural award was presented to Skylar Diggins (Notre Dame). Last year, Asia Durr (Louisville) captured the award, which is now of one of the most prestigious awards given annually in Women's College Basketball.

Four finalists will be announced in Mid-March and the winner will be announced the weekend of the Final Four.  

Player	University
Stella Johnson	Rider
Rhyne Howard	Kentucky
Aari McDonald	Arizona
Dana Evans	Louisville
Chanette Hicks	Norfolk State
Sabrina Ionescu	Oregon
Tyasha Harris	South Carolina
Zia Cooke	South Carolina
Crystal Dangerfield	Connecticut
Dyasha Fair	Buffalo
Chelsea Dungee	Arkansas
Kathleen Doyle	Iowa
Te'a Cooper	Baylor
Destiny Slocum	Oregon State
Chennedy Carter	Texas A&M