Completed Event: Women's Basketball versus Oklahoma Christian (EXH) on October 29, 2025 , Win , 106, to, 41
Final
Women's Basketball
106
vs Oklahoma Christian (EXH)
41
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Four Sooners Named to Starting Five Watch Lists
October 31, 2025 | Women's Basketball
NORMAN – Four Sooners were named to the Basketball Hall of Fame's Starting Five preseason watch lists this week, as Aaliyah Chavez, Payton Verhulst, Sahara Williams and Raegan Beers each earned recognition among the nation's top-20 players at their respective positions.
No. 6 Oklahoma's four honorees matched last season's program record for preseason selections under head coach Jennie Baranczyk, now in her fifth season leading the Sooners.
Aaliyah Chavez, the top-ranked player in the 2025 class per multiple outlets, was named to the Nancy Lieberman Award watch list, which honors the nation's best point guard. The Lubbock, Texas, native swept every major national high school player of the year award — Naismith, Gatorade, MaxPreps and Sports Illustrated — after averaging 34.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 3.7 steals while leading Monterey High School to the 5A Division II state championship. The guard was one of two freshman nationally to be named to the Naismith Trophy preseason watch list, which is awarded annually to the best player in college basketball.
Redshirt senior guard Payton Verhulst earned a spot on the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award watch list, recognizing the nation's best shooting guard. A 2025 All-SEC Second Team pick, Verhulst averaged 14.9 points and 5.7 rebounds last season and ranked second in the conference with 83 made three-pointers.
Junior Sahara Williams landed on the Cheryl Miller Award watch list for the second straight year, honoring the top small forwards in the country. Williams has started every game of her Sooner career and averaged 10.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists last season. She scored in double figures in 13 of Oklahoma's final 20 games.
A finalist for the award last season, senior Raegan Beers lands on the Lisa Leslie Award watch list for the third straight year. The 2025 consensus All-America honoree and preseason All-SEC first-team pick averaged 17.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game in her first season at OU. One of the most efficient post players in NCAA history, Beers became the first Division I player in the last 25 years in 2024-25 to average at least 17.0 points and 9.0 rebounds while shooting 63% or better in fewer than 25 minutes per game. The center will face 2025 Lisa Leslie Award winner Lauren Betts of No. 3 UCLA on Nov. 10 in Sacramento, Calif., in a top-10 showdown on Fox Sports 1.
Fans can participate in Fan Voting, which opened Friday, Oct. 31. The watch lists for all of the Starting Five Awards will be narrowed from 20 players to 10 in February, then to five in March. Finalists will be presented to the Hall of Fame's selection committees, composed of media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers to decide on the winner.
The four Sooners on the watch lists lead a team that enters the 2025-26 season with its highest preseason ranking (No. 6) since 2009-10, when OU opened the year at No. 4.
Oklahoma tips off the season Monday, Nov. 3, at 4:30 p.m. CT against Belmont at Lloyd Noble Center.
Stay connected with Oklahoma Women's Basketball by following the Sooners on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Want to make an impact? Join the 3-Point Club and help power the program's continued success.
No. 6 Oklahoma's four honorees matched last season's program record for preseason selections under head coach Jennie Baranczyk, now in her fifth season leading the Sooners.
Aaliyah Chavez, the top-ranked player in the 2025 class per multiple outlets, was named to the Nancy Lieberman Award watch list, which honors the nation's best point guard. The Lubbock, Texas, native swept every major national high school player of the year award — Naismith, Gatorade, MaxPreps and Sports Illustrated — after averaging 34.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 3.7 steals while leading Monterey High School to the 5A Division II state championship. The guard was one of two freshman nationally to be named to the Naismith Trophy preseason watch list, which is awarded annually to the best player in college basketball.
Redshirt senior guard Payton Verhulst earned a spot on the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award watch list, recognizing the nation's best shooting guard. A 2025 All-SEC Second Team pick, Verhulst averaged 14.9 points and 5.7 rebounds last season and ranked second in the conference with 83 made three-pointers.
Junior Sahara Williams landed on the Cheryl Miller Award watch list for the second straight year, honoring the top small forwards in the country. Williams has started every game of her Sooner career and averaged 10.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists last season. She scored in double figures in 13 of Oklahoma's final 20 games.
A finalist for the award last season, senior Raegan Beers lands on the Lisa Leslie Award watch list for the third straight year. The 2025 consensus All-America honoree and preseason All-SEC first-team pick averaged 17.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game in her first season at OU. One of the most efficient post players in NCAA history, Beers became the first Division I player in the last 25 years in 2024-25 to average at least 17.0 points and 9.0 rebounds while shooting 63% or better in fewer than 25 minutes per game. The center will face 2025 Lisa Leslie Award winner Lauren Betts of No. 3 UCLA on Nov. 10 in Sacramento, Calif., in a top-10 showdown on Fox Sports 1.
Fans can participate in Fan Voting, which opened Friday, Oct. 31. The watch lists for all of the Starting Five Awards will be narrowed from 20 players to 10 in February, then to five in March. Finalists will be presented to the Hall of Fame's selection committees, composed of media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers to decide on the winner.
The four Sooners on the watch lists lead a team that enters the 2025-26 season with its highest preseason ranking (No. 6) since 2009-10, when OU opened the year at No. 4.
Oklahoma tips off the season Monday, Nov. 3, at 4:30 p.m. CT against Belmont at Lloyd Noble Center.
Stay connected with Oklahoma Women's Basketball by following the Sooners on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Want to make an impact? Join the 3-Point Club and help power the program's continued success.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's BasketballJennie Baranczyk Media Availability - 10/22/25
Wednesday, October 22
SEC Tipoff - Jennie Baranczyk, Payton Verhulst, Raegan Beers
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SEC Tipoff - Jennie Baranczyk
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