Murray State’s Sharnecce Currie-Jelks, Haven Ford and Halli Poock have been named to the 2027 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award Preseason Watch List presented by Her Hoop Stats.
The trio are three of just five returning all-conference performers in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Poock, who was the 2026 Jackie Stiles Player of the Year and tournament’s Most Outstanding Player (Patty Viverito Award), finished her junior campaign with a program-record 788 total points, averaging 22.5 points per contest, ranking inside the top 10 nationally in each category and inside the top 15 in Valley history. Heading into her senior season, Poock ranks 10th in the MVC record book in career scoring average (18.3 ppg).
Currie-Jelks, the league’s 2026 Newcomer of the Year, was the only player in The Valley to average a double-double last season, sitting at 17.4 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. She led the nation with 26 double-doubles, while ranking sixth in Division I with 409 total rebounds. Currie-Jelks ranked second in the MVC in field goal percentage, shooting 55.1% from the field, while finishing fourth in the league with 608 total points.
Ford, who was named the 2026 MVC Elite 18 Award recipient for women’s basketball, finished the 2025-26 season with 599 total points on 41.7% shooting from the floor, ranking inside the top 10 in The Valley in both categories. She led the Racers at the charity stripe, shooting 87.7%, while ranking third in the Conference in free throws made (171) and attempted (195). Entering her final season, Ford’s career free throw percentage (86.4%) is tied for the 11th best in league history, while she is one of just 25 players in Valley history to convert at least 400 points at the charity stripe.
The Racers are three of 25 total student-athletes included on the preseason watch list. The complete list in alphabetical order by school is below.
• Payton Hull, Abilene Christian, Sr., G
• Meredith Mayes, Abilene Christian, Sr., C
• Kya Smith, Army West Point, Sr., F
• Kendall Bennett, Binghamton, Sr., F
• Camryn Runner, Colorado St., Jr., G
• Riley Weiss, Columbia, Sr., G
• Meghan Andersen, Fairfield, Sr., RR
• Kaety L’Amoreaux, Fairfield, Gr., G
• Clare Coyle, Furman, Jr., F
• Lauren Whittaker, Gonzaga, Jr., F
• Karlee White, Harvard, Sr., G
• Amber Tretter, Miami (OH), Sr., F
• Kaemyn Bekemeier, Missouri St., Sr., G
• Taylee Chirrick, Montana St., Jr., G
• Sharnecce Currie-Jelks, Murray St., Sr., F
• Haven Ford, Murray St., Sr., G
• Halli Poock, Murray St., Sr., G
• Zanai Barnett-Gay, Navy, Sr., G
• Avery Koenen, North Dakota St., Sr., F
• Fadima Tall, Princeton, Sr., G/F
• Gabby Casey, Saint Joseph’s, Sr., G
• Sophie Glancey, Santa Clara, Gr., F
• Francesca Schiro, Siena, So., G
• Ava Renninger, Towson, Jr., G
• Mia Nicastro, Western Ill., Gr., F