Skylar Forbes has joined an exclusive group of Marquette women’s basketball players.
The junior forward on Thursday became the fourth Golden Eagle to be named to the Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year preseason watch list. She is one of 50 student-athletes on the list, and one of five from outside the Power 4 conferences (SEC, ACC, Big Ten, Big 12).
Forbes, a 2024-25 All-Big East First Team and unanimous 2025-26 All-Big East preseason selection, started all 31 games last season, averaging a team-high 15.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. She also broke the program record for blocks in a season with 56.
The 6-foot-3 forward’s addition to the list puts her in company with the program’s elite.
Krystal Ellis was named to the watchlist twice in her career (2007 and 2008). She was enshrined in the ‘M Club’ Hall of Fame in 2018 after playing four seasons professionally and was nominated as Marquette’s Big East Legend this past spring.
Angel Robinson, who notched a spot on the watchlist ahead of the 2009 season, was drafted No. 22 by the New York Liberty in 2011 and traded to the Minnesota Lynx, who released her before the season began. She then spent 12 years playing professionally overseas.
The last Golden Eagle before Forbes to earn the honors was Allazia Blockton in 2018, who left Marquette as the program’s all-time leading scorer (2,204 points). She spent training camp with the Chicago Sky and continued her professional career overseas from 2019-2021.
Marquette opens the 2025-26 season Nov. 3 against Winthrop at the Al McGuire Center. Tip-off is set for 11 a.m.
This article was written by Mikey Severson. He can be reached at michael.severson@marquette.edu or on Twitter/X @MikeySeversonMU.