NC State’s Perez Added to Lieberman Award Watch List

RALEIGH, N.C. – NC State women’s basketball graduate guard Raina Perez has been named one of 20 watch list candidates for the 2021 Nancy Lieberman Award, an annual honor that recognizes the top point guard in women’s NCAA Division I basketball.

Wolfpack fans are encouraged to participate in this year’s Fan Voting during each of the three rounds. In early February, the watch list will be narrowed to just 10. In early March, five finalists will be presented to Ms. Lieberman and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee.

A combo guard, Perez transferred from Cal State Fullerton to NC State during the offseason and was ranked as the No. 5 graduate transfer in the nation (ESPN). The Goodyear, Ariz., native was the 2020 Big West Player of the Year after leading the league in scoring during the 2019-20 season with 19.8 points per game. That mark was good for 14th nationally, and she also owned national top-15 marks field goals made (5th – 239) and final points (9th – 613). In total, Perez has compiled 1,293 career points through her three seasons of collegiate competition.

Perez shot 46.2 percent (239-of-517) during the 2019-20 campaign and is operating at a 42.7 percent success rate from the field on her career. During the 2019-20 season, she scored 30+ points in four outings, including a career-high 34 points on three different occasions. After starting all 31 games for the Titans, she posted double figures in all but one outing while also averaging 4.2 assists per game. For her career, she is averaging 14.4 points and 3.8 assists per game.

The winner of this season’s Nancy Lieberman Award will be presented April 9, 2021 alongside the other four members of the Women’s Starting Five. For more information on the award and to vote beginning Nov. 13, visit HoopHallAwards.com.