North Carolina State University Athletics
Khamil Pierre Named One of Five Finalists for Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year Award
3/12/2026 1:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
RALEIGH – NC State women's basketball's Khamil Pierre has been tabbed one of five finalists for the Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year, as announced by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Thursday. The award is given to the best power forward in women's college basketball. Fan voting starts Friday, March 13.
Last season, Pierre was a finalist for the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year award. Pierre is the second Wolfpack player to be named as a finalist for a starting five award with Elissa Cunane being named as a finalist for the Lisa Leslie Center of the Year award in three consecutive seasons (2020, 21, 22).
Pierre was named an All-ACC First Team choice, her first career all-conference selection. She has averaged 16.8 points and a career-high 12.0 rebounds per game on a personal best 52.6 percent shooting from the field (220-418) this season. Pierre has logged 28 double-digit scoring games, 22 double-digit rebounding games, nine 20+ point games and 21 double-doubles this year as well. Her 21 doubles is tied for the second most in school history and most since Khadijah Whittington's 24 in 2007-08, and she has the third most rebounds in a single season at NC State with 360.
The Phoenix, Arizona native leads the league in double-doubles and rebounds per game, which are third and sixth, respectively, in the NCAA. She is fifth in scoring and sixth in field goal percentage in the ACC. In ACC play, Pierre averaged 17.9 points and 11.4 boards per game on 54.5 percent shooting from the field (146-of-268), while also logging 10 double-doubles in the past 11 games. She is on a 25-game double-digit scoring streak, which is the second longest by a Wolfpack player this century, tied with Bonae Holston.
Pierre delivered a huge performance against Syracuse with 25 points, 15 rebounds and two steals. She had monster double-doubles with 12 points and a career-high 21 rebounds vs. Green Bay and 19 points and 20 boards at No. 9/9 Oklahoma. Pierre's 21 rebounds marked the third most in a single game in school history and she is one of two in Power 4 this season with two 20-rebound games.
In her Wolfpack debut, Pierre was named the Ro Greensboro Invitational Most Outstanding Player after 21 points, 14 rebounds and three steals in the win at No. 8/9 Tennessee. She was also the Cancun Challenge Yucatan MVP after averaging 15.5 points, 18.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 blocks per game in two contests.
In her career, Pierre has 1,450 points, 843 rebounds, 133 assists and 160 steals. She also has 73 double-digit scoring games, 44 double-digit rebounding games, 26 20+ point games and 42 double-doubles.
The award is named after two-time All-American, 1987 Naismith Player of the Year and Class of 2012 Hall of Famer Katrina McClain. The award is in its ninth year.
Pierre is one of two ACC power forwards on the finalist list with Duke's Toby Fournier being the other. The award winner and presentation details will be announced at the Final Four.
NC State will await its NCAA Tournament fate on Selection Sunday with programming beginning at 8 p.m. on ESPN. The first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament are set for Friday, March 20 to Monday, March 23 on campus sites.
Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year Finalists
Toby Fournier, Duke
Khamil Pierre, NC State
Maggie Doogan, Richmond
Joyce Edwards, South Carolina
Sarah Strong, UConn
