LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas sophomore guard S’Mya Nichols is one of 50 players named to the 2024-25 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Women’s Player of the Year Watch List, which was announced Monday.

Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, the creator of the game of basketball, the Naismith Women’s Basketball Player of the Year award has been presented since 1983 and is given each year to the top basketball player in the nation. Each year the club’s board publishes the Naismith Watch List that is made up of the top 50 players to watch in women’s college basketball.

This is the first preseason watch list honor for Nichols, who was previously named a Preseason All-Big 12 selection. This is the second straight season that Kansas has had a player named to the Naismith Award Watch List, with Taiyanna Jackson earning a spot on the list last year. Prior to 2023, Kansas had not had a player on the Naismith Award Watch List since Chelsea Gardner in 2014.

Nichols earns a spot on the watch list following a standout freshman season in which she led the Jayhawks in scoring at 15.4 points per game, which is the second-highest scoring average by a freshman in program history. Nichols was a unanimous selection to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team and earned a spot on the All-Big 12 First Team, after also being named a two-time Big 12 Freshman of the Week during the season.

From Overland Park, Kansas, Nichols came to KU as the program’s highest-rated recruit in recent memory and quickly lived up to the expectations. She scored in double figures in 29-of-33 games as a freshman, with nine games of 20 or more points. She set new freshman records for free throws (166) and free throw attempts (201) and totaled 92 rebounds, 89 assists and 45 steals for the season. Nichols capped off the season by averaging 18.5 points per game in her first NCAA Tournament appearance, including 22 points against top-seeded USC in the second round.

Kansas opens the 2024-25 season on Friday, Nov. 1, with an exhibition contest against Washburn before hosting Lindenwood on Wednesday, Nov. 6, in the first of seven non-conference games at Allen Fieldhouse. Single game tickets for the 2024-25 season are now on sale, while season tickets also remain available for purchase. For as low as $95, fans can reserve their seat at historic Allen Fieldhouse for the entire season. Tickets can be purchased by visiting KUAthletics.com or calling 800-34-HAWKS.