Achol Akot Named to Cheryl Miller Award Watch List

The North Carolina senior earns recognition on the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame watch list.

Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Basketball

Achol Akot Named to Cheryl Miller Award Watch List

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North Carolina senior Achol Akot has been named to the 2027 Cheryl Miller Award watch list. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame selected 20 candidates for the pre-season honor.

Why it matters

Recognition on this watch list highlights Akot as one of the top small forwards in NCAA Division I women's basketball. The honor comes as the Tar Heels prepare for their season opener against Oklahoma in Paris.

Achol Akot enters the season after averaging 12.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per game during the 2025-26 campaign. The senior shot 63.3 percent from the field while recording 21 games with double-digit points and six double-doubles across 34 starts.

The players

Achol Akot

A six-foot-one-inch senior guard-forward who transferred to North Carolina from Oklahoma State.

Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

The institution responsible for presenting the annual Cheryl Miller Award to the top small forward in women's college basketball.

North Carolina

The NCAA Division I university where Achol Akot will compete during the 2026-27 season.

The details

Achol Akot, a six-foot-one-inch transfer from Oklahoma State, earned an honorable mention on the All-Big 12 team last season. She also brings international experience to North Carolina, having won a bronze medal with Canada at the 2023 FIBA Under-19 Women's World Cup.

Achol Akot helped Canada win a bronze medal at the 2023 FIBA Under-19 Women's World Cup.
Achol Akot averaged 12.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per game during the 2025-26 season.
Achol Akot was named to the Cheryl Miller Award watch list in October 2026.
North Carolina opens its season against Oklahoma on November 2, 2026.
The watch list will be trimmed to 10 candidates in February 2027.

Season Trajectory

This nomination marks the start of a multi-month evaluation process by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. The watch list acts as an early-season indicator of the athletes expected to contend for individual accolades throughout the current NCAA campaign.

The inclusion of Akot on the watch list positions her as a focal point in the rotation for North Carolina's offense this year. Her 63.3 percent shooting efficiency from last season suggests she will likely maintain a high-percentage role in the team's scoring scheme.

The takeaway

The Cheryl Miller Award watch list recognizes top-tier talent and serves as a barometer for player success throughout the collegiate season. Fans can monitor the progress of these candidates to see which athletes solidify their standing as the most impactful small forwards in the country.

What happens next

The watch list for the Cheryl Miller Award is scheduled to be trimmed to 10 candidates in February 2027, followed by a reduction to five finalists in March 2027.