Gibb named unanimous Big 12 Freshman of the Year

IRVING, Texas — With the second-most freshman weekly honors in conference history, Delaney Gibb has been dubbed the unanimous Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year and named to the All-Big 12 Second and All-Freshman teams, the Big 12 announced on Tuesday. 

Gibb is the third Cougar freshman to earn conference Freshman of the Year honors joining Debbie Dimond Freeland (WAC, 1991) and Erin Thorn (MWC, 2000). She also joins freshmen Julie Whetten Sullivan (MWC, 2001), Lexi Eaton Rydalch (WCC, 2011) and Shaylee Gonzales (WCC, 2019) as one of six freshmen to win either Freshman or Newcomer of the Year in their respective conferences. Gibb is also the only freshman selected to any of the All-Big 12 first, second or third teams. 

"Delaney has had an all-time season," said head coach Amber Whiting. "From the very first game, she has shown why she is one of the best freshmen in the country and a massive addition to our BYU women's basketball family. She is the type of player who brings it night in and night out both in the way she approaches the game and strives to make those around her better. Delaney is the ultimate competitor, and she always finds a way to get the most out of herself. She has big dreams and with her work ethic, she has the opportunity to achieve them."

With yesterday's 10th Freshman of the Week award, Gibb became the second player in Big 12 history to earn 10 or more weekly freshman awards, joining Kansas State's Ayoka Lee who received the honor 12 times in 2019-20. 

BYU opened the season with wins over Idaho and Wyoming in which Gibb averaged 19.5 points on 55 percent shooting, going 50 percent from behind the arc. The freshman’s scoring combined with her 5.5 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals and nearly 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio earned her first freshman weekly honor.

The Raymond, Alberta native never looked back as she continued to lead the Cougars in scoring and assists en route to a 9-2 non-conference record, picking up two more Freshman of the Week nods along the way. During the non-conference slate, Gibb scored 14 or more points in nine of 11 contests, had four games of 20 or more and a career-high 26 in a road victory over the Washington State Cougars.

Her production continued like regularly scheduled programming as Big 12 play ensued. Her scoring average climbed to 17.9 points on a 44.8 percent clip while grabbing a team-leading 5.7 boards and dishing 4.2 assists. Gibb tallied 14 games of over 14 points in conference play, culminating with a new career-high of 36 points on 13-of-18 shooting against rival Utah where she cashed in on three offerings from downtown.

On the way, Gibb collected seven of the nine Big 12 Freshman of the Week awards during the conference season. She also turned in a 14-point, seven-rebound, six-assist and three-steal performance in the Cougars' upset win over the No. 20 Oklahoma State Cowgirls on Feb. 15.

Gibb has cemented her name in BYU women's basketball history as she sits in the top five in 15 statistical categories in the BYU freshman record book. The now-Freshman of the Year is the all-time leader in points per game at 17.48 and second in total points (507), 3-point field goals per game (2.58) and assists per game (4.17).

The Alberta, Canada product sits in third for made field goals (177), 3-point field goals made (75), 3-point field goal percentage with at least 35 made threes (.401), defensive rebounds per contest (4.35) and minutes per game (33:48). The 10-time Freshman of the Week also ranked fourth in total assists with 121 dimes and fifth in games started (29) and total minutes played with 979:31. 

Gibb and the Cougars return to action as they take on the UCF Knights in the first round of the Big 12 Championship in Kansas City on Wednesday, March 5. The game will tip at 11 a.m. CT and be streamed on ESPN+. Fans can also tune in to BYU Radio for play-by-play with Jason Shepherd.