AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn graduate forward DeYona Gaston has been named to the Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year Award watch list, it was announced Thursday by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Gaston, a 6-2 graduate student from Pearland, Texas, was the Big 12 Sixth Player of the Year in 2024 while competing at the University of Texas. She played in 25 games for the Longhorns last year, averaging 8.4 points and 4.2 rebounds per game off the bench.
As a junior in 2023, she led Texas in rebounding (5.8 per game), was second on the team in scoring (12.1 ppg) and earned a nod to the All-Big 12 First Team. She enters her final season of collegiate eligibility with 959 career points and 489 rebounds.
The Katrina McClain Award honors the top power forward in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball. It is named after former Georgia standout Katrina McClain, a two-time All-American and 1987 National Player of the Year.
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting in each of the three rounds starting on Friday, November 1. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the Katrina McClain Award will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February, to just five. In March, the five finalists will be presented to McClain, and the Hall of Fame’s selection committees, where winners will be selected. The Selection Committees for the Katrina McClain Award are composed of top women’s college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
Auburn plays an exhibition game against LaGrange College at 6 p.m. CT Thursday at Neville Arena; admission is free. The season officially opens Monday, Nov. 4, when the Tigers host Southern Illinois.
Katrina McClain Award Watch List
DeYona Gaston, Auburn
Emma Ronsiek, Colorado State
Morgan Maly, Creighton
Makayla Timpson, Florida State
Yvonne Ejim, Gonzaga
Kendall Bostic, Illinois
Addy Brown, Iowa State
Aneesah Morrow, LSU
Olivia Cochran, Louisville
Mir McLean, Maryland
Liza Karlen, Notre Dame
Liatu King, Notre Dame
Maddy Westbeld, Notre Dame
Skylar Vann, Oklahoma
Laura Ziegler, Saint Joseph’s
Sania Feagin, South Carolina
Kiki Iriafen, Southern California
Aaliyah Moore, Texas
Janiah Barker, UCLA
Jenna Johnson, Utah