University of Connecticut Athletics
Taurasi Named Preseason Naismith Candidate
10/22/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
ATLANTA, GA (October 22, 2002) -- Junior guard Diana Taurasi (Chino, CA) of the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team is among the top four vote getters for the preseason 2002-03 Naismith College Women’s Basketball Player of the Year Award. Joining Taurasi in the top four are Chantelle Anderson (Vanderbilt), Alana Beard (Duke) and LaToya Thomas (Mississippi State).
Taurasi is a returning 2002 Kodak All-American and helped lead the Huskies to a perfect 39-0 season and the 2002 National Championship. She was second on the team in scoring averaging 14.5 points per game and grabbed 4.1 rebounds per game. A 2002 Naismith Player of the Year and Honda Award for Women’s Basketball finalist, she was named to the 2002 NCAA Mideast Region All-Tournament team and the 2002 BIG EAST All-Tournament team.
The Naismith Awards program, now in its 35th year, honors the outstanding college basketball players in the United States. The awards program was founded by the Atlanta Tipoff Club, an organization dedicated to recognizing the achievements of student-athletes in basketball.
The candidates were selected by a vote of the Board of Selectors comprised of leading basketball coaches, journalists and basketball analysts.
The preseason candidates for the women’s Naismith Award are listed, alphabetically, as follows: Anderson, Jacqueline Batteast (Notre Dame), Beard, Kara Braxton (Georgia), Coretta Brown (UNC), Shameka Christon (Arkansas), Crissy Floyd (Clemson), Catrina Frierson (LaTech), Vanessa Hayden (Florida), Caton Hill (Oklahoma), Ebony Hoffman (USC), Nicole Ohlde (Kansas State), Gwen Jackson (Tennessee), Temeka Johnson (LSU), Kara Lawson (Tennessee), Kelly Mazzante (Penn State), Jocelyn Penn (USC), Nicole Powell (Stanford), Alicia Ratay (Notre Dame), Aiysha Smith (LSU), Stacy Stephens (Texas), Brianne Stepherson (Boston College), Taurasi, Brandi Teamer (Virginia), Thomas, Iciss Tillis (Duke), Kendra Wecker (Kansas State), Lindsay Whalen (Minnesota), Lindsey Wilson (Iowa State) and Shereka Wright (Purdue).
Sue Bird of the University of Connecticut was last year’s recipient of the award.
