10/28/2026 10:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
HOPEWELL, N.J. — Abilene Christian women's basketball's Payton Hull and Meredith Mayes were named to the preseason watch list for the 2027 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award presented by Her Hoop Stats, the organization announced Wednesday.
The seniors join a team of 25 student-athletes from across the nation to land on the preseason watch list representing the best players at the mid-major level. The Wildcats are one of three programs to tout at least two selections and are the only United Athletic Conference program featured. Mayes' recognition comes after she was named to the award's 2026 midseason watch list last January.Â
A 15-player midseason watch list for the Becky Hammon Award will be released in January, with a team of 10 semifinalists announced in February. Five finalists for the honor will be selected in March, and the winner will be announced around the time of the Women's Final Four.
Hull and Mayes each enter their fourth seasons at ACU as arguably the top duo in the UAC. Hull is the reigning Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year and was named to the All-WAC First Team and All-WAC Defensive Team. Mayes was an All-WAC Second Team selection in 2024-25 and started each of the Wildcats' first 16 games last year before missing the final 19 contests due to an injury.
ACU kicks off its 2026-27 campaign at 6 p.m. Monday as it hosts Howard Payne at Moody Coliseum.
One of the most decorated players in the history of ACU women's basketball, Hull started each of the Wildcats' 35 games last season. The guard led the WAC in scoring (18.3 ppg), three-pointers (83 at a .312 clip) and steals (94). Hull ranked fourth in shooting percentage (.422), third in free throw percentage (.805) and fourth in assists (107). She averaged 4.1 rebounds per game and blocked 11 shots.
Hull scored in the double digits and recorded a steal in all but one game. The Peaster, Texas product established Division I program records in scoring, field goals and steals. A three-time Conference Player of the Week, Hull scored a DI-record 36 points at Tarleton State on Feb. 14, the most by a WAC player in 2025-26.
Hull ranks third in the Wildcats' DI record book with 1,503 career points and is 163 points shy of breaking Alexis Mason's program record of 1,666 points. She's also in the top 10 for field goals, three-pointers, free throws, steals and assists.
ACU will be eager to have Mayes back in the picture. She was one of the most efficient scorers in the nation when healthy last season, touting the third-best field goal percentage at .682. The center led the WAC with 101 made field goals on 148 attempts to average 15.2 points per game, good for third in the conference.
Mayes averaged 7.9 rebounds per game with 126 total boards, including 52 on the offensive glass. The Bixby, Okla. native notched four double-doubles with a career-best 13 rebounds on three occasions. She ranked fifth in the WAC with 2.5 steals per game alongside 25 assists and 12 blocks.
Wildcat women's hoops is coming off its second consecutive WNIT Super 16 appearance in 2025-26. The Wildcats went 24-11 for their most wins since 2019-20 and advanced to the WAC title game with a 13-5 mark in conference play.
Fresh off an international tour to Greece and Rwanda, the Wildcats embark on Year 15 under head coach Julie Goodenough, anchored by a group of 10 returners that includes seven seniors, led by Hull and Mayes.
The Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award was established in 2020 in honor of the Las Vegas Aces head coach, who was a three-time All-American at Colorado State and led the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1999. Hammon was a two-time All-WNBA First Team honoree and a six-time All-Star. In 2016, she was tabbed one of the top 20 players in league history.
Hammon became the first full-time female coach in NBA history when she joined the San Antonio Spurs staff in 2014. She is the only woman to be the head coach for an NBA Summer League team and the only female member of an NBA All-Star coaching staff. Hammon is a three-time WNBA champion at the helm of the Aces.
The seniors join a team of 25 student-athletes from across the nation to land on the preseason watch list representing the best players at the mid-major level. The Wildcats are one of three programs to tout at least two selections and are the only United Athletic Conference program featured. Mayes' recognition comes after she was named to the award's 2026 midseason watch list last January.Â
A 15-player midseason watch list for the Becky Hammon Award will be released in January, with a team of 10 semifinalists announced in February. Five finalists for the honor will be selected in March, and the winner will be announced around the time of the Women's Final Four.
Hull and Mayes each enter their fourth seasons at ACU as arguably the top duo in the UAC. Hull is the reigning Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year and was named to the All-WAC First Team and All-WAC Defensive Team. Mayes was an All-WAC Second Team selection in 2024-25 and started each of the Wildcats' first 16 games last year before missing the final 19 contests due to an injury.
ACU kicks off its 2026-27 campaign at 6 p.m. Monday as it hosts Howard Payne at Moody Coliseum.
One of the most decorated players in the history of ACU women's basketball, Hull started each of the Wildcats' 35 games last season. The guard led the WAC in scoring (18.3 ppg), three-pointers (83 at a .312 clip) and steals (94). Hull ranked fourth in shooting percentage (.422), third in free throw percentage (.805) and fourth in assists (107). She averaged 4.1 rebounds per game and blocked 11 shots.
Hull scored in the double digits and recorded a steal in all but one game. The Peaster, Texas product established Division I program records in scoring, field goals and steals. A three-time Conference Player of the Week, Hull scored a DI-record 36 points at Tarleton State on Feb. 14, the most by a WAC player in 2025-26.
Hull ranks third in the Wildcats' DI record book with 1,503 career points and is 163 points shy of breaking Alexis Mason's program record of 1,666 points. She's also in the top 10 for field goals, three-pointers, free throws, steals and assists.
ACU will be eager to have Mayes back in the picture. She was one of the most efficient scorers in the nation when healthy last season, touting the third-best field goal percentage at .682. The center led the WAC with 101 made field goals on 148 attempts to average 15.2 points per game, good for third in the conference.
Mayes averaged 7.9 rebounds per game with 126 total boards, including 52 on the offensive glass. The Bixby, Okla. native notched four double-doubles with a career-best 13 rebounds on three occasions. She ranked fifth in the WAC with 2.5 steals per game alongside 25 assists and 12 blocks.
Wildcat women's hoops is coming off its second consecutive WNIT Super 16 appearance in 2025-26. The Wildcats went 24-11 for their most wins since 2019-20 and advanced to the WAC title game with a 13-5 mark in conference play.
Fresh off an international tour to Greece and Rwanda, the Wildcats embark on Year 15 under head coach Julie Goodenough, anchored by a group of 10 returners that includes seven seniors, led by Hull and Mayes.
The Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award was established in 2020 in honor of the Las Vegas Aces head coach, who was a three-time All-American at Colorado State and led the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1999. Hammon was a two-time All-WNBA First Team honoree and a six-time All-Star. In 2016, she was tabbed one of the top 20 players in league history.
Hammon became the first full-time female coach in NBA history when she joined the San Antonio Spurs staff in 2014. She is the only woman to be the head coach for an NBA Summer League team and the only female member of an NBA All-Star coaching staff. Hammon is a three-time WNBA champion at the helm of the Aces.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's BasketballMonday, October 26
Monday, October 26
Monday, October 26
Monday, October 26
