University of Tennessee Athletics
Barker Named To Katrina McClain Award Mid-Season Top 10
February 05, 2026 | Women's Basketball
The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, in partnership with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), announced the Mid-Season Top 10Â candidates for the 2026 Katrina McClain Award on Thursday, and Tennessee's Janiah Barker has made that list.
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Barker joins Dianna Littlepage-Buggs (Baylor), Toby Fournier (Duke), Hannah Stuelke (Iowa), Laura Ziegler (Louisville), Khamil Pierre (NC State), Maggie Doogan (Richmond), Joyce Edwards (South Carolina), Sarah Strong (UConn) and Sacha Washington (Vanderbilt).
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The Katrina McClain Award, now in its ninth year, recognizes the top power forward in women's NCAA Division I college basketball. It is named after the two-time All-American, 1987 National Player of the Year and Class of 2012 Hall of Famer from the University of Georgia.
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Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan voting in both of the remaining rounds starting on Friday, Feb. 6, on hoophallawards.com. The Fan vote will count as one committee vote during the finalist selection process.
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In her first season with the Lady Vols after playing at UCLA in 2024-25, Barker is her team's second-leading scorer at a career-best 14.1 points per game, and she is tied for first in rebounding at 6.6 per contest. The 6-foot-4 forward is shooting 45.7 percent from the field, 32.4 percent from the three-point arc and 71.1 percent at the free-throw line. She has tied her career high by making 23 treys to rank fourth for UT in that category.
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Barker, who has helped No. 19/17 Tennessee to a 14-5 overall record and 6-1 record in SEC play thus far, has scored in double figures in 15 of 19 games, including eight contests with 15 or more points and three with 20+. She has paced the Big Orange on the boards a team-best nine times and in blocked shots on seven occasions and is second in double-doubles with three.
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Last year's Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year is coming off a 16-point effort at No. 1 UConn on Sunday. She had 25 points in her return to No. 2 UCLA in November and posted double-doubles of 20 points and 12 rebounds vs. Middle Tennessee and 20 and 10 vs. Winthrop. She has hit double figures in points in her past five SEC contests, starting with efforts of 17 points and eight rebounds at Auburn and 18 points and six boards at Mississippi State. She added double-digit rebounding totals vs. Florida (12) and Alabama (11).
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In mid-March, the Mid-Season Top 10 list will be narrowed to just five, and in late March, the five finalists will be presented to McClain, and the Hall of Fame's selection committee, where a winner will be selected. The selection committee for the Katrina McClain Award is composed of top women's college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors and hall of famers.
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The winner of the 2026 McClain Award will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the other four members of the Women's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Nancy Lieberman Award (Point Guard), Ann Meyers Drysdale Award (Shooting Guard), Cheryl Miller Award (Small Forward) and the Lisa Leslie Award (Center).
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For more information on the 2026 Katrina McClain Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophallu and #McClainAward on X and Instagram.
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To keep up with the University of Tennessee women's basketball team on social media, follow @LadyVol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /BallWithTheLadyVols on Facebook.
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Barker joins Dianna Littlepage-Buggs (Baylor), Toby Fournier (Duke), Hannah Stuelke (Iowa), Laura Ziegler (Louisville), Khamil Pierre (NC State), Maggie Doogan (Richmond), Joyce Edwards (South Carolina), Sarah Strong (UConn) and Sacha Washington (Vanderbilt).
Â
The Katrina McClain Award, now in its ninth year, recognizes the top power forward in women's NCAA Division I college basketball. It is named after the two-time All-American, 1987 National Player of the Year and Class of 2012 Hall of Famer from the University of Georgia.
Â
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan voting in both of the remaining rounds starting on Friday, Feb. 6, on hoophallawards.com. The Fan vote will count as one committee vote during the finalist selection process.
Â
In her first season with the Lady Vols after playing at UCLA in 2024-25, Barker is her team's second-leading scorer at a career-best 14.1 points per game, and she is tied for first in rebounding at 6.6 per contest. The 6-foot-4 forward is shooting 45.7 percent from the field, 32.4 percent from the three-point arc and 71.1 percent at the free-throw line. She has tied her career high by making 23 treys to rank fourth for UT in that category.
Â
Barker, who has helped No. 19/17 Tennessee to a 14-5 overall record and 6-1 record in SEC play thus far, has scored in double figures in 15 of 19 games, including eight contests with 15 or more points and three with 20+. She has paced the Big Orange on the boards a team-best nine times and in blocked shots on seven occasions and is second in double-doubles with three.
Â
Last year's Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year is coming off a 16-point effort at No. 1 UConn on Sunday. She had 25 points in her return to No. 2 UCLA in November and posted double-doubles of 20 points and 12 rebounds vs. Middle Tennessee and 20 and 10 vs. Winthrop. She has hit double figures in points in her past five SEC contests, starting with efforts of 17 points and eight rebounds at Auburn and 18 points and six boards at Mississippi State. She added double-digit rebounding totals vs. Florida (12) and Alabama (11).
Â
In mid-March, the Mid-Season Top 10 list will be narrowed to just five, and in late March, the five finalists will be presented to McClain, and the Hall of Fame's selection committee, where a winner will be selected. The selection committee for the Katrina McClain Award is composed of top women's college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors and hall of famers.
Â
The winner of the 2026 McClain Award will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the other four members of the Women's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Nancy Lieberman Award (Point Guard), Ann Meyers Drysdale Award (Shooting Guard), Cheryl Miller Award (Small Forward) and the Lisa Leslie Award (Center).
Â
For more information on the 2026 Katrina McClain Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophallu and #McClainAward on X and Instagram.
Â
To keep up with the University of Tennessee women's basketball team on social media, follow @LadyVol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /BallWithTheLadyVols on Facebook.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's BasketballWBB | Highlights: Lady Vols 66, UConn 96 (2.1.26)
Sunday, February 01
WBB | Janiah Barker & Kim Caldwell Postgame at UConn (2.1.26)
Sunday, February 01
WBB | Highlights: Lady Vols 62, Mississippi State 77 (1.29.26)
Thursday, January 29
WBB | Kim Caldwell Postgame vs. Mississippi State (1.29.26)
Thursday, January 29
