Fankam Mendjiadeu is currently third in The American in scoring and fourth in the nation in rebounding.
TAMPA (Jan. 20, 2023) – University of South Florida women’s basketball standout Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu has been named to the 2023 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award midseason watch list, presented by Her Hoop Stats.
This year’s midseason watch list includes representatives from 14 schools and 11 conferences. Fankam Mendjiadeu is the lone representative from the American Athletic Conference.
Earlier this month, the 6-foot-4 forward/center from Nkongsamba, Cameroon was named the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Year Award midseason watch list. She was one of 21 players from seven different conferences named.
A preseason American Athletic Conference First Team All-Conference selection, Fankam Mendjiadeu continues to create problems for the opposition. Amid of the best season of her collegiate career, Fankam Mendjiadeu is averaging 16.2 points per game on the year, third in The American, and 12.4 rebounds per contest, good enough for first in The American and fourth nationally. In addition, her 260 rebounds on the year are also tops in the conference and third nationally.
Offensively, Fankam Mendjiadeu is shooting 59.0 percent (134-for-227) from the field and 73.7 percent (73-for-99) from the free-throw line on the year. She has recorded 15 double-doubles this season which is first in The American and third in the nation.
Fankam Mendjiadeu has proven to be one of the top post players in the nation and has done so against some of the nation’s top teams. She recorded a career-high 34 points, on 73.3 percent shooting from the field and 80 percent from the free-throw line, while also grabbing 17 rebounds against No. 3/4 Ohio State in the first round of the San Diego Invitational, and followed that up the next day with a 16-point, 12-rebound performance against No. 17/19 Arkansas.
The redshirt senior also turned in a 13-point, 10-rebound and two-blocked shot performance at No. 22/18 Texas, and a 10-point, 18-rebound and two-block outing at No. 8/10 NC State.
During the Gulf Coast Showcase in Ft. Myers, Fla., Fankam Mendjiadeu broke a nine-year tournament rebounding record, hauling down 49 boards in the three games. She grabbed a career-best 21 rebounds along with scoring 19 points against Georgia Tech and followed that game up with 11 rebounds and eight points against No. 22/23 Michigan and 17 rebounds and 14 points against No. 23/RV Villanova.
The 10 semifinalists for the Hammon Award will be announced in February, with five finalists being announced in early March. The winner will be announced in late March.
The Bulls return to the Yuengling Center on Sunday for the first edition of the War on I-4 against rival Central Florida. Game time for the nationally televised contest is 2 p.m. (ESPNU).
2023 Becky Hammon Award Player of the Year Candidates
Destinee Wells, Belmont
McKenna Hofschild, Colorado St.
Abbey Hsu, Columbia
Keishana Washington, Drexel
Brynna Maxwell, Gonzaga
Yvonne Ejim, Gonzaga
Kiki Jefferson, James Madison
Sam Breen, Massachusetts
Savannah Wheeler, MTSU
Katelyn Young, Murray State
Alex Fowler, Portland
Isnelle Natabou, Sacramento
Myah Selland, South Dakota St.
Quinesha Lockett, Toledo
Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu, South Florida
About USF Women’s Basketball
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South Florida recorded its 10th 20-win season during the 2021-22 campaign while playing in its sixth American Athletic Conference championship game in its nine years in the conference. The Bulls achieved their highest national ranking of the season when it checked in at No. 13 in the Nov. 30 Associated Press Top 25 Poll, and advanced to their seventh NCAA Tournament appearance in the last nine years.
USF has made 17 postseason tournament appearances and had eight NCAA Tournament berths in head coach Jose Fernandez’s 22 seasons. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has guided USF to 10 20-win seasons, two WNIT final four appearances, the 2009 WNIT championship, and has won over 400 career games. Fernandez was named a finalist for the WBCA and semifinalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year Awards. He was also tabbed the 2021 American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year at the conclusion of the 2020-21 campaign.
In 2021-22, the Bulls had three players recognized by The American for impressive seasons, including Elena Tsineke (All-Conference First Team), Bethy Mununga (All-Conference Second Team) and Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu (All-Conference Second Team).
In addition, Tsineke and Mununga were named to the American Athletic Conference All-Tournament Team.
–#GoBulls –
