Nebraska's Natalie Potts was among 20 women's college basketball players named to the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Preseason Watch List on Wednesday, Oct. 28.
The Miller Award was the third of the Naismith Starting 5 award watch lists announced by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in partnership with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).
Potts, the 2024 Big Ten Freshman of the Year for the Huskers, suffered a season-ending leg injury in the fifth game of her sophomore season in 2024-25. After receiving a medical redshirt in 2024-25, Potts was expected to return and earned 1 of 20 spots on the Katrina McClain Award Preseason Watch List ahead of the 2025-26 season.
However, a stalled recovery forced Potts out for the entire 2025-26 as part of a second straight redshirt season.
Now the fourth-year Husker is at full strength and has been fully participating in practices and workouts since mid-summer.
In Nebraska's closed scrimmage with Kansas State at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan on Friday, Oct. 16, Potts produced 13 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals in 24 minutes of action in an 89-87 win over the Wildcats.
In an exhibition win over Wayne State College (Oct. 23), Potts added 12 points, three rebounds and a game-high four steals in just 17 minutes of work, displaying the tenacity that separates her from so many other players.
In 2023-24, Potts was a unanimous choice to the Big Ten All-Freshman team from the conference coaches and was an honorable-mention All-Big Ten selection by the league media. Potts started all 35 games for a Nebraska team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after working its way to the Big Ten Tournament Championship Game. She averaged 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game on the season.
In 2023-24, Potts led all Big Ten freshmen in rebounding (5.2 rpg) and field goal percentage (.489), while ranking second among league freshmen in scoring (10.2 ppg) and free throw percentage (.829) in 2023-24. She started all 35 games for the 23-12 Huskers, who advanced to the Big Ten Championship Game and the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Through the first four games of her sophomore season, Potts averaged 17.5 points and 8.0 rebounds, before suffering a leg injury 10 minutes into the game with North Alabama (Nov. 19, 2024) at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln. She underwent surgery Dec. 4, 2024.
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NAME |
SCHOOL |
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McKinna Brackens |
Arizona State |
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Skylar Jones |
Baylor |
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Jadyn Donovan |
Duke |
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Berry Wallace |
Illinois |
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Mackenly Randolph |
Louisville |
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Mikaylah Williams |
LSU |
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Bri McDaniel |
Maryland |
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Olivia Olson |
Michigan |
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Grace Slaughter |
Missouri |
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Nebraska |
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Achol Akot |
North Carolina |
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Sahara Williams |
Oklahoma |
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Stailee Heard |
Oklahoma State |
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Joyce Edwards |
South Carolina |
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Kaylene Smikle |
Tennessee |
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Madison Booker |
Texas |
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Jalynn Bristow |
Texas Tech |
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Addy Brown |
UCLA |
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Blanca Quiñónez |
UConn |
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ZaZa Walton |
West Virginia |