Texas Longhorns Star Wins Back-To-Back National Awards
AUSTIN — Texas Longhorns star sophomore Madison Booker has won the Cheryl Miller Award, the trophy for the best small forward in women’s basketball, for the second year in a row. In her sophomore season, Booker led Texas to the Final Four, its first in 22 years.
The Cheryl Miller Award is one of the Naismith Starting Five awards, and each is given to the best position player, building the overall best starting five.
Booker’s second Cheryl Miller Award just adds to her long list of accolades in a short career. In just two years she’s been named a two-time WCBA All-American, AP First Team All-American, AP Second Team All-American, Big 12 Player of the Year, Big 12 Freshman of the Year, SEC Player of the Year and many others.
As a sophomore, she led Texas in scoring, averaging 16 points per game and 6.6 rebounds per game. For head coach Vic Schaefer, he had nothing but high praise for Booker the entire season.
“We got Book some really good looks late and she made some really big shots for us,” Schaefer said after beating TCU to advance to the Final Four. “I have wanted it so badly for them, I’ve said it all year, they’re good enough.”
Booker, who has several nicknames including “Mid-Range Maddie” and “Chef Booker” has the talent to create her own looks when her team struggles to get her open. But she also knows how to work defenses to get open and find the looks that her coaches and teammtes set up for her.
She was an instrumental part of a historic Texas team, and when her shots weren’t falling, she made up for it in other ways. She improved not just her shooting in the offseason, but her defense and rebounding.
Earlier this season, she said that she often felt like she was slacking on defense during her freshman season, and used that as motivation to be a better defensive player in her sophomore season.
Now in the offseason, Booker and the rest of the Longhorns have likely turned their focus to next season where the goal will be the same, winning the national championship.
