December 11, 2006
Texas A&M junior All-American candidate Morenike Atunrase (Shreveport, La.) has been named one of the nation?â„¢s top 50 preseason candidates for the Naismith Trophy presented by Cingular Wireless, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Monday.
The Naismith Trophy is one of the most prestigious national awards presented annually to the top men?â„¢s and women?â„¢s college basketball players of the year. The top 50 list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club?â„¢s Board of Selectors, comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country.
Atunrase becomes the school?â„¢s first-ever nominee for the Naismith Trophy. The 5-foot-10 combination guard/forward is joined on the list by Duke?â„¢s Alison Bales, Ohio State?â„¢s Jessica Davenport, Maryland?â„¢s Shay Doron, Washington?â„¢s Cameo Hicks, Georgia?â„¢s Tasha Humphrey, Texas?â„¢ Tiffany Jackson, North Carolina?â„¢s Ivory Latta, Oklahoma?â„¢s Courtney Paris, Tennessee?â„¢s Candace Parker, UCLA?â„¢s Noelle Quinn and Stanford?â„¢s Candice Wiggins. Atunrase is also a preseason candidate for the prestigious John R. Wooden Award.
?The women?â„¢s preseason candidates represent the very best in college basketball,? Atlanta Sports Council President Gary Stokan said. ?It will be a privilege to add any of these players to the list of distinguished Naismith Trophy winners.?
In January, the Board of Selectors will narrow its preseason list to the top 30 players in the nation. Those players, and others who distinguish themselves throughout the season, will be eligible for the final ballot in March. Cingular Wireless will continue to set the standard in allowing fans to participate in determining this year?â„¢s winner. Through the power and ease of text messaging, fan voting will account for an unprecedented 25 percent of the final results ?- more than any other national award.
An All-Big 12 First Team selection a year ago, Atunrase averaged a team-leading 14.0 points and 1.8 blocks per game and led the Aggies to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1996. She was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 2005.
LSU?â„¢s Seimone Augustus won the Naismith Award in 2005 and 2006. Past winners also include Connecticut?â„¢s Diana Taurasi, USC?â„¢s Cheryl Miller, Tennessee?â„¢s Chamique Holdsclaw and Texas Tech?â„¢s Sheryl Swoopes.