Northwest Notes Oct. 21, 2023

Murekatete again named to Lisa Leslie Award Watch List

SPRINGFIELD, MASS. — Washington State senior center Bella Murekatete was named one of 20 candidates for the 2024 Lisa Leslie Award, which recognizes the top centers in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball.

Murekatete, from Genesis Prep Academy in Post Falls, is named to the watch list for the third straight season and is one of six Pac-12 Conference centers recognized. Murekatete was named Preseason All-Pac-12 after being named to honorable mention prior to last season where she went on to earn All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention, was a Lisa Leslie Top-10 Finalist and earned a spot on the Pac-12 All-Tournament Team.

The senior from Rwanda started all 34 games a season ago and was one of three Pac-12 players to rank inside the Top-10 in points, rebounds and blocks, joining Stanford’s Cameron Brink and Haley Jones. Murekatete averaged 13.8 points and 7.0 rebounds, and tallied 43 blocks while shooting a team-best 49.1% from the field.