Tilda Trygger Tabbed to Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Preseason Watchlist
10/31/2025 1:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
RALEIGH – Tilda Trygger of the NC State women's basketball team has been recognized on the Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Preseason Top 20 Watchlist, as announced by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Friday. The award recognizes the best center in women's college basketball.
Trygger is coming off a great freshman season, having averaged 6.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 0.6 blocks per game across 22.2 minutes per contest. She started in the final 23 games of the season, while playing in 34. Earning a spot on the ACC All-Freshman Team, Trygger registered eight double-digit scoring games, five double-digit rebounding games and three double-doubles. Trygger led the team in field goal percentage at .520 (91-of-175) and made 10 triples and shot 72.1 percent from the free throw line (31-of-43).
The Stockholm, Sweden native logged a career-high 19 points twice, including in a huge game against No. 1 Notre Dame where she went 8-of-9 from the field with 10 rebounds and two blocks. Trygger logged a double-double of 16 points, a career-high 14 rebounds and three blocks at No. 22 Florida State and had 19 points and 10 boards at California. She finished the season sixth in games played (34), eighth in blocks (22) and 11th in rebounds (166) in the NC State freshman record book.
The award is named after three-time All-American, 1994 National Player of the Year and Class of 2015 Hall of Famer, Lisa Leslie. This honor is in its ninth year.
Trygger is one of five ACC centers on the watchlist. The list will remain fluid as the season goes on to give players the opportunity to move on and off the list until the final five are selected. The list will narrow down to 10 in late January and the final five are announced in March. The award winner and presentation details will be announced at the Final Four. Fan voting is now open.
The Basketball Hall of Fame has announced the top 20 preseason watchlists for each of its starting five awards throughout the week. NC State was well represented with Zoe Brooks on the watchlist for the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Monday, Zamareya Jones on the watchlist for Ann Meyers-Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Tuesday, Khamil Pierre on the watchlist for the Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year Thursday and now Trygger on the watchlist for the Lisa Leslie Center of the Year.
NC State will officially open the season against No. 8 Tennessee on Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 4 p.m. at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina. Tickets for the game can be purchased HERE.
Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Preseason Top 20 Watchlist
Lara Rohnkohl, BYU
Sakima Walker, Cal
Audi Crooks, Iowa State
Clara Strack, Kentucky
Laura Ziegler, Louisville
Kate Koval, LSU
Ra Shaya Kyle, Miami
Ashley Sofilkanich, Michigan
Tilda Trygger, NC State
Megan Nestor, North Texas
Raegan Beers, Oklahoma
Gracie Merkle, Penn State
Madina Okot, South Carolina
Brooklyn Meyer, South Dakota State
Kennedy Umeh, Stanford
Breya Cunningham, Texas
Lauren Ware, Texas A&M
Lauren Betts, UCLA
Serah Williams, UConn
Aalyah Del Rosario, Vanderbilt
Â
