TCU's Hailey Van Lith named Big 12 player and newcomer of year after Frogs win 1st women's title

IRVING, Texas (AP) — Hailey Van Lith from Big 12 regular-season champion TCU has been named the conference's player of the year and the newcomer of the year after transferring to the Horned Frogs for her fifth and final college season.

The Big 12 announced its award winners Tuesday, as determined by a vote of the its 16 head coaches. Van Lith is the first player in the league's 29-season history to be picked the top player and top newcomer in the same season.

TCU's Mark Campbell was named coach of the year after the eighth-ranked Horned Frogs won the regular-season title for the first time in their 13 seasons in the league.

Van Lith joined TCU after going to the NCAA Elite Eight last season with LSU, following three seasons at Louisville that included a Final Four and another Elite Eight. She is averaging 17.6 points and 5.4 assists per game for the Frogs.

BYU guard Delaney Gibb, who is averaging 17.5 points and 4.2 assists, was voted as the league’s unanimous freshman of the year. West Virginia guard JJ Quinerly became the first player elected defensive player of the year in back-to-back seasons since Baylor's Lauren Cox in 2018-19, and Baylor senior guard Yaya Fielder got the sixth player of the year award.

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