Oklahoma State's Liv McGill Named to Nancy Lieberman Award Watch List Ahead of Cowgirl Debut

STILLWATER, Okla. — Oklahoma State women's basketball has yet to take the court for its first exhibition game, but one of its biggest offseason additions is already receiving national recognition.

Cowgirls guard Liv McGill was named to the 20-player Nancy Lieberman Award preseason watch list Monday, recognizing her as one of the nation's top point guards entering the 2026-27 season.

The honor comes just one day before Oklahoma State hosts Langston in its exhibition opener Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. CT inside Gallagher-Iba Arena.

For McGill, who transferred from Florida during the offseason, the recognition adds to an impressive list of accolades as she prepares for her first season in Stillwater.

McGill established herself as one of the nation's most productive guards during her time at Florida. Last season, the 5-foot-9 junior averaged 22.5 points, 6.3 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game.

She was the only player in Division I women's basketball to average at least 20 points, six assists and six rebounds per contest. Her performances earned her Associated Press and United States Basketball Writers Association honorable mention All-America recognition, along with first-team All-SEC honors.

McGill also reached the Nancy Lieberman Award's 10-player watch list last season before entering the transfer portal, where she was considered a consensus top-five prospect. Now at Oklahoma State, she enters the season ranked third among active Division I players with a career average of 5.7 assists per game. The Big 12 also selected McGill as its Preseason Newcomer of the Year, adding to the expectations surrounding her arrival.

McGill's addition gives head coach Jacie Hoyt another dynamic scoring and playmaking option. She joins fellow offseason addition Audi Crooks, the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year, and returning standout Stailee Heard as part of an Oklahoma State roster with significant offensive potential.

At Big 12 Basketball Media Day, Hoyt highlighted the different strengths each player brings to the Cowgirls. Crooks provides a dominant presence in the post, Heard offers versatility, and McGill brings another explosive option at point guard.

The challenge for Hoyt will be finding the right balance between those scoring threats while maintaining the team's offensive rhythm. Oklahoma State enters the season as the preseason favorite to win the Big 12, and McGill's ability to create opportunities for herself and her teammates could be a major factor in whether the Cowgirls meet those expectations.

The Nancy Lieberman Award, presented by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and Women's Basketball Coaches Association, recognizes the top point guard in Division I women's college basketball. The award emphasizes leadership, playmaking and ball-handling ability.

If McGill wins, she would become the second Oklahoma State player to receive the honoR. Former Cowgirl star Andrea Riley won the award in 2010 after averaging 26.7 points per game during the 2009-10 season. The initial 20-player watch list will be narrowed to 10 candidates in February before five finalists are selected in March. McGill is among several Big 12 guards receiving recognition, including Oklahoma's Aaliyah Chavez, Kansas' S'Mya Nichols, TCU's Jadyn Wooten and Texas' Bryanna Preston.

The national recognition comes at an ideal time for Oklahoma State as the program prepares for its first opportunity to compete against an outside opponent. The Cowgirls host Langston on Tuesday, October 27, at 6:30 p.m. CT inside Gallagher-Iba Arena.

It will be the first opportunity for Oklahoma State fans to see how McGill fits alongside Crooks, Heard and the rest of Hoyt's roster in game action. The Cowgirls will officially open the regular season against Southern on Monday, November 2, at 5 p.m. CT in Stillwater.

For a program entering the season with championship aspirations, McGill's national recognition is another reminder of the talent assembled in Stillwater. Now comes the opportunity to translate those expectations into results on the court.