HOPEWELL, N.J. - University at Albany graduate student Kayla Cooper has been named to the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Midseason Watch List, as announced by Her Hoop Stats Wednesday.
 
Cooper is one of 15 players, from 15 teams and 10 different conferences, on the midseason watch list. Currently second in the conference in points per game (17.4) and field goal percentage (.584) and third in the conference in rebounds per game (7.3), she also leads the team, and ranks top-10 in the AE, in assists per game (2.9) and steals per game (1.6). The forward has an active streak of 21 games, including five from 2023-24, with at least 10 points.
 
Nationally, Cooper is ranked in nine statistics between points, rebounds, and shooting percentages. Her best comes in at 25th in field goal percentage with a top-100 (78th) rank in points per game. As a team, the Great Danes are 13th in scoring defense and fourth in three-point percentage defense.
 
First given out in 2020, the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year is awarded to student-athletes playing for a team in one of the 26 conferences deemed "mid-major". The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award and are ineligible: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, and SEC. Additionally, players from Oregon State and Washington State are ineligible this year as membership in the Pac-12 Conference evolves.
 
The 25-player preseason watch list was announced in October. Ten semifinalists will be announced in February. The five finalists will be announced in early March, with the winner announced around the Final Four. The list is fluid and players may play their way on or off of it over the course of the season.
 
To read the full release from Her Hoop Stats, click here.
 
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