Gonzaga’s Allie Turner Named to Becky Hammon Player of the Year Preseason Watch List
Gonzaga sophomore Allie Turner was one of 25 players named to the 2026 Becky Hammon Player of the Year Award preseason watch list, the organization announced Wednesday.
Gonzaga’s Yvonne Ejim won the award in 2024.
This year’s watch list includes representatives from 19 teams and 12 conferences. Five different teams, led by South Florida, placed multiple players on the watch list. South Florida’s three representatives tie 2023-24’s Gonzaga team for the most on a single list in the award’s history.
The A-10 places five players on the watch list, which ties for the most for a single list in the award’s history, matching the MAC’s 2020-21 season, when it accounted for five of 15 players on that season’s midseason watch list.
To be eligible for this award, players must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be “mid-major.” The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award and thus ineligible: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, and SEC. Additionally, players from Oregon State and Washington State remain ineligible this year.
Hockey
Four Spokane Chiefs are among 89 players developed in the Western Hockey League that have been named to NHL Central Scouting’s Preliminary Players to Watch list ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft.
Forward Mathis Preston received an ‘A’ rating, forward Chase Harrington received a ‘B’ rating, forward Brody Gillespie received a ‘C’ rating, and defenseman Kaden Allan received a ‘W’ rating.
NHL Central Scouting unveiled its Preliminary Players to Watch list Monday morning.
Seven players developed in the WHL have earned ‘A’ ratings, including defensemen Carson Carels of Prince George, Ryan Lin of Vancouver, and Daxon Rudolph of Prince Albert, forwards JP Hurlbert of Kamloops and Preston, along with former WHL players Gavin McKenna (Medicine Hat) and Keaton Verhoeff (Victoria).
College volleyball
Washington State volleyball’s Lucie Blažková was named West Coast Conference Offensive player of the week, the conference announced Monday afternoon.
Blažková played elite offense last weekend, totaling 21 kills on a .543 hitting percentage along with three service aces and 7.0 total blocks for 29.5 total points. She also chipped in two assists and 10 digs while averaging 4.21 points, 3.00 kills, 1.00 blocks, 1.43 digs and 0.43 aces per set.
College soccer
After scoring four goals and two assists last week, Gonzaga’s Drew Pedersen was tabbed West Coast Conference men’s soccer offensive player of the week, the school announced Monday.
Pedersen scored four goals last week with one against Seattle U and three against No. 23 Oregon State. He notched a hat trick against the Beavers, becoming the first Zag to get a hat trick since 2016. Pedersen also collected two assists, giving him 10 points on the week.
Golf
Circling Raven Golf Club earned Golfweek’s No. 17 ranking in the recently-released “Top 50 Best U.S. Casino Courses in 2025” list.
“We value critical acclaim from media experts as it demonstrates Circling Raven’s credibility to people who haven’t played it yet,” said Laura Penney, CEO, Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel in a release. “Ensuring that our amenities provide great satisfaction to our guests is a priority.”
The course, located at the Coeur d’Alene Casino and Resort in Worley, Idaho, will be closed for the season from November until next spring. Winter play is available in the recently-opened Circling Raven Golf Suites located in the casino, offering simulator golf during the cold months.