Cain Signs WNBA Training Camp Contract

Nebraska center Kate Cain signed a WNBA Training Camp contract with the Las Vegas Aces on April 17 to begin her professional basketball career.

A three-time Lisa Leslie Award candidate, Cain was 1 of 15 players named to the 2021 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List. A three-time Big Ten All-Defensive choice, Cain also claimed her second straight honorable-mention All-Big Ten award in 2020-21. 

Cain owns Nebraska career (352) and season (101) block records and climbed to No. 6 in Big Ten history while ranking No. 2 nationally among all active Division I players. Her 352 career blocks were 114 more than Nebraska’s previous career leader in that category, Janet Smith (238, 1979-82).

Cain started all 26 games for the Huskers in 2020-21, extending her streak to 117 consecutive starts. Cain finished the season averaging 10.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per contest. Over the final nine games of the season, she went 24-of-26 from the free throw line. She finished with career-best field goal (.575) and free throw (.741) percentages on the season. Her 35 assists on the season tied her career best, while her 24 turnovers in 26 games were by a far a career low.

At the Big Ten Tournament, Cain averaged 12.0 points and 8.5 rebounds, including 16 points and seven boards in a win over Minnesota (March 10), before getting eight points and 11 rebounds in a narrow loss to No. 7 Maryland in the tournament quarterfinals (March 11). She closed her career with 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting against Colorado in the round of 16 in the Postseason WNIT.

Cain was just the ninth player in Nebraska history to achieve the combined career milestones of 1,000 points and 750 rebounds. Her 1,085 points ranked 28th in school history, while her 780 rebounds ranked eighth.

She produced arguably the best game of her career with 22 points, 12 rebounds and nine blocks in a 63-55 win over No. 15 Ohio State (Jan. 16). She was named the Big Ten Player of the Week for the first time in her career on Jan. 18, 2021.

She tied her career high with 22 points on a perfect shooting night in a win at No. 24 Northwestern (Feb. 17). Cain’s basket on the game’s first possession also made her the 34th 1,000-point scorer in Nebraska women’s basketball history. Cain also had 21 points, seven rebounds and five blocks at Penn State (Feb. 4). 

Cain finished with 54 double-figure scoring efforts, including 13 in 2020-21. She had 20 double-figure rebounding games, including six in 2020-21, and one double-digit block game in her career. Cain recorded three or more blocks in 58 games, including 21 games with five or more blocks. She produced 15 career double-doubles, including three as a senior.