Me’Arah O’Neal Named to Power Forward of the Year Top 20 Preseason Watch List
LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky women’s basketball junior forward Me’Arah O’Neal has been named to the Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year Award Top 20 Preseason Watch List, it was announced by the Naismith Basketball of Fame in partnership with the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) on Thursday.
O’Neal, a 6-5 forward from Houston, Texas, played the last two seasons at Florida. In 68 games and 41 starts in Gainesville, she combined for 615 points, 347 rebounds, 67 blocks, 59 steals and 54 assists.
Last season, she played and started all 33 games, averaging 13.6 points per game, 6.4 rebounds per game, which ranked 17th in the SEC, 1.4 blocks per game, which was sixth in the SEC, 1.36 steals per game and 1.1 assists per game. She averaged 52.9 percent shooting from the field and 38.1 percent shooting from the arc on 37 3s. She also went to the line 155 times, averaging 74.2 percent shooting there, which ranked 15th in the SEC.
She made 10+ points in 23 games and 20+ points in six games. She also had 10+ rebounds in seven games, assembling seven double-doubles on the season, including her first three games of 2025-26.
O’Neal was named the SEC co-Player of the Week on Dec. 30, 2025, after stuffing the stats in a win over Furman. She put up 22 points, seven rebounds, four assists, four blocks and three steals.
Players can play their way onto and off the Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year Award of the Year Watch List at any point in the 2026-27 season.
The Katrina McClain Award, in its 10th year, recognizes the top power forward in NCAA Division I women’s college basketball. It is named after the two-time All-American, 1987 National Player of the Year, and Class of 2012 Hall of Famer.
The 20 players on the preseason watch list are as follows:
Grace Oliver (Boston College)
Toby Fournier (Duke)
Meghan Andersen (Fairfield)
Lauren Whittaker (Gonzaga)
Cearah Parchment (Illinois)
McKenna Woliczko (Iowa)
Jaliya Davis (Kansas)
Me’Arah O’Neal (Kentucky)
Carys Baker (Louisville)
ZaKiyah Johnson (LSU)
Nunu Agara (Maryland)
Madison Francis (Mississippi State)
Khamil Pierre (NC State)
Sa’Mya Smith (Oklahoma)
Sophie Glancey (Santa Clara)
Chloe Kitts (South Carolina)
Lara Somfai (TCU)
Fatmata Janneh (Tennessee)
Sarah Strong (UConn)
Skylar Forbes (West Virginia)
For more information on the Kentucky women’s basketball team, visit UKathletics.com or follow @KentuckyWBB on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
