University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: Jerome M. Ibrahim
Reniya Kelly Named 2026 Lieberman Award Candidate
October 27, 2025 | Women's Basketball
SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – A week out from the start of the 2025-26 season, North Carolina women's basketball junior guard Reniya Kelly has been touted as one of the nation's top point guards and named a 2026 Nancy Lieberman Award Candidate.
The Lieberman Award annually recognizes the top point guard in women's NCAA Division I college basketball. In honor of the Class of 1996 Hall-of-Famer, candidates for the award must possess the floor leadership, playmaking and ball-handling skills of Lieberman.
Entering her third season in Chapel Hill, Kelly has asserted herself as one of the Atlantic Coast Conference's top playmakers. Most recently, Kelly was named Preseason All-ACC after earning All-ACC Second Team honors as a sophomore.
During her sophomore campaign, Kelly tallied 13 games scoring in double digits, including eight in ACC play. She was named the ACC Player of the Week on Feb. 17, after recording back-to-back 20-point outings in wins against Virginia Tech and NC State. A member of the All-ACC Academic Team, Kelly ranked second for Carolina in ACC action with an average of 11.4 points per game.
Carolina boasts one Lieberman Award winner in program history, with Ivory Latta taking home the honor during the 2005-06 season.
In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2026 Lieberman Award will be narrowed to 10 and then in late February, to five. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Lieberman, and the Hall of Fame's selection committees, where the winners will be selected. The selection committee is composed of top women's college basketball personal, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers.
The winner of the 2026 Lieberman Award will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with four other members of the Women's Starting Five. Additional awards include the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award (Shooting Guard), Cheryl Miller Awards (Small Forward), Katrina McClain Award (Power Forward) and the Lisa Leslie Award (Center).
Kelly and the No. 11 Tar Heels take the court this week, heading South to face No. 2 South Carolina in an exhibition meeting on Oct. 30 in The Bad Boy Mowers Series – Atlanta. Tip from State Farm Arena is set for 6 p.m. ET, the game will not be televised, but can be heard on the airwaves on 97.9 FM/1360 AM WCHL, the Varsity Network App or the GoHeels App. Tickets for the game at State Farm Arena remain available here.
Season tickets for the 2025-26 season remain on sale, for more information regarding tickets, visit goheels.com/tickets or reach out to the UNC Athletic Ticket Office at 919-926-2296 or tickets@unc.edu.
Stay up to date with the latest North Carolina women's basketball news on X at @UNCWBB, Instagram @UNCWBB and Facebook at Carolina Women's Basketball.
2026 Nancy Lieberman Award Candidates
Rachael Rose – Clemson
Taina Mair – Duke
Janelle Brown – Fairfield
Jada Williams – Iowa State
S'Mya Nichols – Kansas
Tonie Morgan – Kentucky
MiLaysia Fulwiley – LSU
Zoe Brooks – NC State
Britt Prince – Nebraska
Reniya Kelly – North Carolina
Hannah Hidalgo – Notre Dame
Aaliyah Chavez – Oklahoma
Raven Johnson – South Carolina
Olivia Miles – TCU
Talaysia Cooper – Tennessee
Rori Harmon – Texas
Ny'Ceara Pryor – Texas A&M
Kiki Rice – UCLA
Kymora Johnson – Virginia
Jordan Harrison – West Virginia
*Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2025-26 season.
Â
The Lieberman Award annually recognizes the top point guard in women's NCAA Division I college basketball. In honor of the Class of 1996 Hall-of-Famer, candidates for the award must possess the floor leadership, playmaking and ball-handling skills of Lieberman.
Entering her third season in Chapel Hill, Kelly has asserted herself as one of the Atlantic Coast Conference's top playmakers. Most recently, Kelly was named Preseason All-ACC after earning All-ACC Second Team honors as a sophomore.
During her sophomore campaign, Kelly tallied 13 games scoring in double digits, including eight in ACC play. She was named the ACC Player of the Week on Feb. 17, after recording back-to-back 20-point outings in wins against Virginia Tech and NC State. A member of the All-ACC Academic Team, Kelly ranked second for Carolina in ACC action with an average of 11.4 points per game.
Carolina boasts one Lieberman Award winner in program history, with Ivory Latta taking home the honor during the 2005-06 season.
In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2026 Lieberman Award will be narrowed to 10 and then in late February, to five. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Lieberman, and the Hall of Fame's selection committees, where the winners will be selected. The selection committee is composed of top women's college basketball personal, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers.
The winner of the 2026 Lieberman Award will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with four other members of the Women's Starting Five. Additional awards include the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award (Shooting Guard), Cheryl Miller Awards (Small Forward), Katrina McClain Award (Power Forward) and the Lisa Leslie Award (Center).
Kelly and the No. 11 Tar Heels take the court this week, heading South to face No. 2 South Carolina in an exhibition meeting on Oct. 30 in The Bad Boy Mowers Series – Atlanta. Tip from State Farm Arena is set for 6 p.m. ET, the game will not be televised, but can be heard on the airwaves on 97.9 FM/1360 AM WCHL, the Varsity Network App or the GoHeels App. Tickets for the game at State Farm Arena remain available here.
Season tickets for the 2025-26 season remain on sale, for more information regarding tickets, visit goheels.com/tickets or reach out to the UNC Athletic Ticket Office at 919-926-2296 or tickets@unc.edu.
Stay up to date with the latest North Carolina women's basketball news on X at @UNCWBB, Instagram @UNCWBB and Facebook at Carolina Women's Basketball.
2026 Nancy Lieberman Award Candidates
Rachael Rose – Clemson
Taina Mair – Duke
Janelle Brown – Fairfield
Jada Williams – Iowa State
S'Mya Nichols – Kansas
Tonie Morgan – Kentucky
MiLaysia Fulwiley – LSU
Zoe Brooks – NC State
Britt Prince – Nebraska
Reniya Kelly – North Carolina
Hannah Hidalgo – Notre Dame
Aaliyah Chavez – Oklahoma
Raven Johnson – South Carolina
Olivia Miles – TCU
Talaysia Cooper – Tennessee
Rori Harmon – Texas
Ny'Ceara Pryor – Texas A&M
Kiki Rice – UCLA
Kymora Johnson – Virginia
Jordan Harrison – West Virginia
*Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2025-26 season.
Â
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballTar Heel 1ON1: Season 2, Episode 2 (Shelby Barbee, Kiannah Pierce, Maddy May)
Wednesday, October 29
Blue Heaven: 2025 UNC Field Hockey, Episode 4
Wednesday, October 29
Coach's Corner with Bill Belichick - Episode 8 - October 28, 2025
Tuesday, October 28
Head Coach Bill Belichick Pre-Syracuse Press Conference
Tuesday, October 28