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TCU WBB: Van Lith, Campbell Tabbed Naismith Awards Semifinalists

Originally posted on TCU Horned Frogs on SI
By Tori Couch | Last updated Mar 13, 2025 6:20 PM ET

Guard Hailey Van Lith and head coach Mark Campbell have helped guide TCU women’s basketball to the best season in program history and, as a result, are receiving recognition as leading candidates for a pair of major national awards.

Van Lith is a semifinalist for the Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year and Campbell was named a semifinalist for the Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year.

The Atlanta Tipoff Club’s national voting academy, made up of journalists from around the country, current and former head coaches, past award winners and conference commissioners, selected 10 semifinalists for each award.

The four finalists for each award will be announced during the week of March 24-28 before the awards are handed out during NCAA Final Four Weekend (April 4-7).

Van Lith and Campbell have already built up a long list of accolades following a 31-win season.

Van Lith took home the Big 12 Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year awards earlier this month and was named the Associated Press National Player of the Week and Big 12 Championship MVP after TCU (31-3 overall) secured the conference tournament title on Sunday. She averaged 21.2 points and 4.7 assists and shot 95% from the free throw line during the tournament run. The Horned Frogs beat No. 17 Baylor 64-59 to win the tournament and Van Lith led all scorers with 20 points in that game.

The guard from Wenatchee, Washington is a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award and is one of only three Division I players to rack up at least 600 points and 180 assists. Van Lith averages 17.9 points, 5.3 assists and 4.4 rebounds with a 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio and is the only player ranked in the top 10 of the Big 12 leaderboard in all four categories.

Campbell has already earned Big 12 Coach of the Year honors. Under Campbell, TCU won the Big 12 regular season title for the first time in program history and became the first team in conference history to win both the regular season and tournament titles within two seasons of finishing in last place. Campbell’s 16 conference wins are the most by a Big 12 head coach in his/her first or second season in the league.

TCU increased its conference win total by 12 games this season, the largest jump in Division 1, and is tied for the NCAA lead in total wins with 31. The Horned Frogs posted an 8-2 mark against AP Top 25 teams.

The Horned Frogs started the season unranked. With Campbell and Van Lith’s help, TCU worked its way up to No. 6 in The Associated Press poll and WBCA Coaches Poll, the highest rankings in program history.

On Sunday, TCU will learn its NCAA Tournament draw. Based on the latest bracket projections from ESPN’s Charlie Creme, the Horned Frogs are slotted for a No. 2 seed. This projection would make TCU a host seed for the first two rounds, March 20-24. The Horned Frogs have never hosted NCAA Tournament games and last made the tournament in 2010.

ESPN’s Selection Sunday Special will air at 7 p.m. TCU is hosting a public watch party at Schollmaier Arena with doors opening at 6 p.m.

Naismith Trophy Women’s Player of the Year Semifinalists

Georgia Amoore (Kentucky)

Lauren Betts (UCLA)

Madison Booker (Texas)

Paige Bueckers (UConn)

Hannah Hidalgo (Notre Dame)

Ta’Niya Latson (Vanderbilt)

Olivia Miles (Notre Dame)

Aneesah Morrow (LSU)

Hailey Van Lith (TCU)

Juju Watkins (USC)