Nebraska Guard Brit Prince Joins National Player of the Year Race

Brit Prince has entered the national conversation for the best women's college basketball player in the country. The Nebraska junior was named to the Naismith Trophy Women's College Player of the Year Watch List Top 50 on Thursday. This marks her first appearance on the list.

Prince is the first five-star recruit in program history since ratings for female players began twenty years ago. Her status as a top prospect translated into immediate statistical production during her freshman year. She averaged 13.4 points, 4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. Those numbers earned her Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors and the school's Female Freshman Athlete of the Year award.

Her sophomore season featured a leap in scoring efficiency. Prince led the team in scoring with 17.9 points per game, alongside 4.4 assists and 1.5 steals. She recorded two games with 30 or more points, defeating Oral Roberts on Nov. 19, 2025, and Virginia on Nov. 25, 2025. She finished that campaign with nine other 20-point outings. She also achieved a rare shooting split, hitting 53.5% from the field, 45.7% from three-point range, and 91.2% from the free-throw line. Only one other player in the nation posted similar numbers that year.

Prince set a school record by making 56 consecutive free throws. That streak included her first 54 attempts in Big Ten play. She helped lead the Huskers to their third straight NCAA tournament appearance. In two postseason games, she averaged 24.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and two blocks. Her 27 points against No. 21 Baylor stood as the second-highest scoring total by a Husker in tournament history.

Preparation for the 2026 season began with strong exhibition performances. In a closed scrimmage at Kansas State, Prince scored 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting, while adding six rebounds, five assists, and three steals. In a televised game against Wayne State, she recorded 15 points, four assists, three rebounds, and three steals in 26 minutes of play.

Nebraska opens its regular season against San Jose State on Monday, Nov. 2, at 12 p.m. Central Time. The game will take place at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Coverage will air on Nebraska Public Media and BTN+. An annual Sizemore Sportsmanship Pep Rally will precede tip-off.

Prince is the sixth Husker to receive this designation. Alexis Markowski holds the most recent records, having been named to the list for the 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25 seasons. Jaz Shelley made the list ahead of the 2022-23 season. Jordan Hooper and Lindsay Moore were both named ahead of the 2012-13 season. Hooper also received honors for the 2011-12 and 2013-14 seasons. Kelsey Griffin was the first Husker on the list in 2009-10.

No Nebraska player has yet won the Naismith Trophy. Jordan Hooper served on the Mid-Season Team for three years, but the award went to Brittany Griner of Baylor in two of those seasons and Brianna Stewart of UConn in the other. Kelsey Griffin was a national finalist in 2010, losing to Tina Charles of UConn.

The Naismith Trophy honors Dr. James Naismith, the inventor of basketball. The award originally recognized only male players before expanding to include women in 1983. The selection process involves a vote from head coaches, administrators, and journalists, who account for 75% of the total. Fans provide the remaining 25% of the vote. The Top 50 list will narrow to 30 candidates in February. Four finalists will be selected in March, with the winner announced during Final Four weekend.