Mackenzie Holmes becomes first AP Preseason All-American in Indiana women’s basketball history

The Indiana women’s basketball program received something it has never had before as Mackenzie Holmes earned preseason AP All-American honors on Tuesday.

Holmes was named an AP First-Team All-American, becoming the first player in Indiana program history to earn that honor in the preseason. She enters this year as a two-time All-American, however.

Holmes averaged 22.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game last season, but dealt with some injuries that kept her from being 100 percent late in the year.

Mackenzie Holmes has the chance to become the leading scorer in Indiana women’s basketball program history.

“Mack has been such a great story in terms of when she came in here and couldn’t give anybody eye contact and she was very shy and timid, and I think it wasn’t until halfway through Big Ten season her freshman year where she started becoming a little bit, not as confident as she is, but a little bit more confident that she could play at this level,” Indiana head coach Teri Moren said this fall. “I don’t know in her wildest dreams if she ever thought she could become the All-American that she’s become here, but Syd hit it on the head: You only do that one way and that’s to get in here and do your work every single day.

“She and Coach Rhet have continued to — every day, days off, there’s no such thing for Mackenzie. She should be really proud of herself. I know I’m extremely proud of her, not for the player that she’s become, for the person that she’s become, and how she’s gone about her work. She’s a pure example of there’s no secret sauce to any of it. It’s what your habits are every single day.”

Below is the full release from the Indiana women’s basketball program.

NEW YORK – Graduate student forward Mackenzie Holmes has been named an Associated Press preseason All-American, announced by the outlet on Monday.

Holmes is the first Hoosier to earn preseason All-American honors from the organization, having been a two-time postseason All-American in 2022 (honorable mention) and 2023 (first team).

A three-time first team All-American last season, she is a unanimous preseason all-Big Ten honoree from the coaches and was also selected by the media vote, enters her fifth and final season with the Hoosiers in 2023-24. The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous selection for All-Big Ten first teams as a senior, the Gorham, Maine native averaged 22.3 points (second in B1G), a team-high 7.8 rebounds and shot a NCAA second-best 68.0 percent from the floor. She also appears as one of 20 preseason candidates for the 2024 Lisa Leslie award, which honors the nation’s top center.

Holmes led the Hoosiers in scoring on 25 occasions as a senior while posting double figures in 31 games, scoring 20 points 19 times and three 30-point scoring efforts. Her nine double-doubles led the team, as six of her double-doubles occurred in conference play which ranks eighth all-time in a single season. She also led the league in blocks (58) and blocks per game (1.9) and averages 1.1 steals (35) per game. Holmes is now in the top five in scoring in school history (1,897) and second in all-time blocks (208).

SEE ALSO: ‘I don’t think we’re over it’: Indiana women’s basketball using NCAA Tournament loss as fuel for strong 2023-24 season

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