Ole Miss’s Cotie McMahon Named Top 10 Finalist for Cheryl Miller Award

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Ole Miss senior Cotie McMahon has been named a top 10 finalist for the 2026 Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Award, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced Wednesday. This marks her third straight year earning a spot among the finalists for the prestigious award, which recognizes the nation’s top small forward in NCAA Division I women’s basketball.

McMahon previously earned top 10 finalist honors last season and was a top 5 finalist in 2024. She is the first Rebel since Shakira Austin in 2021-22 to be a top 10 finalist for a Naismith Award. The Dayton, Ohio, native is also on the watch lists for the John R. Wooden Award Top 25 and the Jersey Mike Naismith Trophy, among other honors this season.

Through 23 games, McMahon is averaging a team-high 19.7 points per game, ranking fourth in the SEC. She also averages 5.9 rebounds per game and leads Ole Miss with nearly 30 minutes of play per contest. Her performance has been especially strong in SEC play, where she posts 21.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. Her contributions have helped Ole Miss start 19-4, the best in coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin’s tenure.

Previous winners of the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Award include Madison Booker of Texas (2024-25), Ashley Joens of Iowa State (2021-23), Satou Sabally of Oregon (2020), Bridget Carleton of Iowa State (2019), and Gabby Williams of Connecticut (2018). The winner will be announced on a date to be determined, alongside other members of the Women’s Starting Five awards.

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