SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Delaney Gibb was named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Preseason Top 20 Watchlist, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced Tuesday.
The reigning Big 12 Freshman of the Year is one of three Big 12 guards named to the 20-player preseason watchlist. The sophomore is joined by Baylor's Taliah Scott and Kansas' Elle Evans. With BYU men's basketball's Richie Saunders being named to the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Watchlist, BYU is one of five schools to have a player on both the men's and women's shooting guard of the year preseason watch lists.
| 2026 Naismith Starting 5 - Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Top 20 Preseason Watch List | |
| Name | School |
| Taliah Scott | Baylor |
| Delaney Gibb | BYU |
| Lulu Twidale | Cal |
| Ashlon Jackson | Duke |
| Elle Evans | Kansas |
| Tajianna Roberts | Louisville |
| Flau'jae Johnson | LSU |
| Kaylene Smikle | Maryland |
| Syla Swords | Michigan |
| Zamareya Jones | NC State |
| Payton Verhulst | Oklahoma |
| Rachel Ullstrom | Richmond |
| Ta'Niya Latson | South Carolina |
| Laila Phelia | Syracuse |
| Ruby Whitehorn | Tennessee |
| Gianna Kneepkens | UCLA |
| Azzi Fudd | UConn |
| Destiny Leo | UNLV |
| Kara Dunn | USC |
| Mikayla Blakes | Vanderbilt |
*Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point during the 2025-26 season
Gibb, who set the second-highest mark for Big 12 Freshman of the Week honors in a season with 10, was named the unanimous 2025 Big 12 Freshman of the Year by Big 12 coaches and was the only freshman selected to any of the conference first, second or third teams after a record-breaking first season in Provo.
The Raymond, Alberta, Canada native finished her freshman campaign as the eighth-leading scorer in the Big 12 and the leading scorer among freshmen at 17.4 points per game. She also finished fourth in the conference for 3-point percentage at 39.5 percent, 11th in assists with 4.13 per game and 12th overall in field goal percentage at 45.3 percent.
The BYU freshman record book was rewritten by Gibb in 2024-25, as she finished in the top 15 in 29 statistical categories, setting 19 top 10 marks and 15 top 5 records.
With a scoring average of 17.4, Gibb set the all-time mark for points per game and finished No. 2 in total points with 522. She also finished second all-time for field goal attempts (402), 3-point field goal attempts (195), 3-point field goals made per game (2.57), assists (124) and assists per game (4.13).
Gibb set the third-highest mark for field goals (182), 3-point field goals made (77), free throws made (81) and minutes per game (33:47). She finished No. 4 for 3-point field goal percentage (min. 35 made; .395), defensive rebounds per game (4.20), minutes (1,013:32) and started the fifth-most games in program history by a freshman (30).
The proud Canadian had a busy summer preparing for her sophomore campaign as she was selected to the Canada Senior Women's National Team Athlete Pool for the 2026 World Cup.
Gibb made her debut with the Canadian Senior National Team, the fulfillment of a lifelong goal, at the 2025 FIBA Women's AmeriCup, where she averaged 9.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists en route to a 6-1 record. In the bronze medal game against Argentina, Gibb recorded the game-winning assist to Michigan guard Syla Swords, who also finds herself on the Ann Meyers Drysdale Top 20 Watchlist, to secure the bronze medal for Canada.
Canada wins bronze at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup after defeating Argentina in double OT. Syla Swords scored the game-winning field goal on an inbound pass from Delaney Gibb.
— Posther Hoops (@postherhoops) July 7, 2025
🇨🇦 Syla Swords - 23 PTS l 6 REB l 3 STL
🇨🇦 Sami Hill - 16 PTS l 6 REB l 4/8 FG
🇨🇦 Kayla Alexander -… pic.twitter.com/r7635aAFb7
Gibb and the Cougars return to the Marriott Center hardwood tonight for the lone exhibition of the 2025-26 season as BYU takes on Western Colorado at 7 p.m. MT. The game will be streamed on ESPN+. Fans can also listen to the game on BYU Radio 107.9, byuradio.org and the BYU Radio App.
After tonight's exhibition, Gibb and her BYU team will prepare for the season-opener as the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers visit the Marriott Center on Nov. 5.
About the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award
The Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, in its ninth year, honors the top shooting guard in women's NCAA Division I college basketball. It is named after the Class of 1993 Hall of Famer, the first player, regardless of gender, to be chosen for an All-America Team in four consecutive college seasons.
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting in each of the three rounds starting on Friday, October 31. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2026 Ann Meyers Drysdale Awards will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February, to just five. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Meyers Drysdale and the Hall of Fame’s selection committees, where winners will be selected. The Selection Committee for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Awards is composed of top women’s college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers.
The winner of the 2026 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the four other members of the Women’s Starting Five.