Mizzou basketball’s Slaughter, a Grain Valley grad, named to preseason watch list
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- Mizzou junior Grace Slaughter named to Cheryl Miller Small Forward watch list.
- She averaged 15.0 PPG last season and ranks second in Mizzou free-throw percentage.
- Mizzou opens under coach Kellie Harper Monday hosting Central Arkansas in Mizzou Arena
Missouri Tigers women’s basketball guard Grace Slaughter, a former standout at Grain Valley High School, was one of 20 players named on Wednesday to the national watch list for the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year award.
The award, recognizing the top small forwards in women’s college hoops, is presented annually by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
A junior at Mizzou, Slaughter has averaged 13.3 points and 3.5 rebounds in college. Entering the 2025-26 season, she ranks second in program history in free-throw shooting percentage, at 84.6%
Slaughter averaged 15 points per game last season at MU, ranking 18th in scoring in the SEC. She ranked third in the SEC for free-throw percentage (85.8%) and shot 46% from 3-point range.
Academically, she was the Southeastern Conference’s SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year 2024-25.
As a senior at Grain Valley High, Slaughter was the 2023 Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year and a McDonald’s All-American. She finished her prep career as the No. 1-ranked player in the state of Missouri, No. 56 in the country.
She and Mizzou begin their first season under new head coach Kellie Harper next Monday, playing host to Central Arkansas at Mizzou Arena. The Tigers lost 90-84 to Div. II Maryville in an exhibition game on Tuesday evening at Mizzou Arena.
Here is the complete Cheryl Miller Award Watch List:
2025-26 Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Award Preseason Watchlist
Grace Slaughter, Missouri; Madison Booker, Texas; Maryam Dauda, South Carolina; Jadyn Donovan, Duke; Caroline Ducharme, UConn; Bella Fontleroy, Baylor; Yarden Garzon, Maryland; Nyla Harris, North Carolina ;Stailee Heard, Oklahoma State; Gabriela Jaquez, UCLA; Skylar Jones, Louisville; Cotie McMahon, Ole Miss; Jordan Obi, Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Michigan; Tierra Simon, Richmond; Adrianna Smith, Maine; Zee Spearman, Tennessee; Grace VanSlooten, Michigan State; Mikayla Willliams, LSU; Sahara Williams, Oklahoma.