MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Megan Walstad of the Milwaukee women's basketball team was named to the 2022 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year preseason watch list, presented by Her Hoop Stats.
 
Walstad is the only Horizon League representative on the list as one of 25 players from 25 schools and 13 conferences. To be eligible for this award, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be "mid-major."
 
It marks the second straight season that Walstad was named to the prestigious list. The redshirt junior is entering her fourth season in the Panthers' post after being named First Team All-Horizon League each of the last two years. Walstad led MKE and was among the league leaders in scoring (14.4 points per game), rebounding (9.1 per game), field goal percentage (48.8), free throw percentage (88.9), and blocks (1.3 per game).
 
The award is named after Becky Hammon, a three-time All-American from Colorado State who led the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1999, the program's only appearance to date. Following a decorated 16-year WNBA career, Hammon became the second female coach in NBA history in 2014. Additionally, Hammon is the only woman to be a head coach in the NBA Summer League as well as the only woman to be a member of an NBA All-Star coaching staff. Currently, Hammon is the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces and won the 2022 WNBA Championship in her first season.

In January, 15 players will be named to the midseason watch list. The 10 semifinalists will be announced in February, with five finalists being announced in early March. 
 
Her Hoop Stats was founded in 2017 to unlock better insight about women's basketball at all levels.