University of Connecticut Athletics
Trio of Huskies Named as Naismith Candidates
11/9/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
STORRS, Conn. (Nov. 9, 2004) — Three members of the UConn women’s basketball team have been named among the top preseason candidates for the Naismith Trophy, which is awarded annually to the national player of the year.
Juniors Barbara Turner (Cleveland, Ohio), Ann Strother (Castle Rock, Colo.) and senior Jessica Moore (Palmer, Alaska) were selected among the top-50 preseason candidates to receive the prestigious honor.
Three previous UConn players have been recognized as the Naismith National Player of the Year a total of four times, including each of the last three season. Diana Taurasi captured the award in 2004 and 2003, while Sue Bird claimed the honor in 2002. Rebecca Lobo (1995) was the first Husky to be named Naismith National Player of the Year.
The top-50 list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors, comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country. The board based its preseason criteria on player performances from last season.
In January, the Board of Selectors will narrow its pre-season 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.
Turner is the Huskies’ top returning scorer after posting 13.7 ppg last season. The 2004 Preseason All-BIG EAST choice led the conference last season in field goal percentage at .536. Turner is also listed as a preseason candidate for the Wade Trophy and the Wooden Award.
Strother, also a first-team preseason All-BIG EAST choice, enters her junior season just 232 points shy of 1,000 for her career. A back-to-back member of the All-Final Four Team the last two seasons, Strother averaged 11.0 ppg last season. Strother is the team’s top-returning 3-point shooter after draining 61 last season. She is also a preseason candidate for Wade Trophy and Wooden Award.
Moore, also listed among Wade Trophy Preseason candidates, was UConn’s leader on the boards during its national championship season with a team-best 7.1 rebounds per game. Moore posted a scoring average of 9.5 ppg while shooting a solid .618 from the field. The senior enters her final collegiate campaign following off-season surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her knee suffered during the 2004 NCAA National Championship Game.
UConn wraps up the exhibition schedule on Tuesday, Nov. 16 when they host the Houston Jaguars at the Hartford Civic Center at 7:00 p.m. (ET).
2004 Naismith Preseason Candidates
Seimone Augustus, LSU
Sherill Baker, Georgia
Jacqueline Batteast, Notre Dame
Steffanie Blackmon, Baylor
Nikki Blue, UCLA
Natasha Brackett, Auburn
Jamie Carey, Texas
Monique Curry, Duke
Jessalyn Deveny, Boston College
Shay Doron, Maryland
Shyra Ely, Tennessee
Emily Faurholt, Idaho
Katie Feenstra, Liberty
Katie Gearlds, Purdue
Erin Grant, Texas Tech
Sandora Irvin, TCU
Dionnah Jackson, Oklahoma
Tiffany Jackson, Texas
Tamara James, Miami
Temeka Johnson, LSU
Alexis Kendrick, Georgia
Laurie Koehn, Kansas State
Cathrine Kraayeveld, Oregon
Ivory Latta, North Carolina
Camille Little, North Carolina
Sancho Lyttle, Houston
Kristen Mann, Santa Barbara
Janel McCarville, Minnesota
Jessica Moore, Connecticut
Loree Moore, Tennessee
Bernice Mosby, Florida
Chelsea Newton, Rutgers
Shawntinice Polk, Arizona
Cappie Pondexter, Rutgers
Noelle Quinn, UCLA
Kathrin Ress, Boston College
Alesha Robertson, Texas Tech
Heather Schreiber, Texas
Khara Smith, DePaul
Kim Smith, Utah
Ann Strother, Connecticut
Kelley Suminski, Stanford
Carla Thomas, Vanderbilt
Barbara Turner, Connecticut
Kendra Wecker, Kansas State
Dee-Dee Wheeler, Arizona
Tan White, Mississippi State
Tanisha Wright, Penn State
Sophia Young, Baylor
Shanna Zolman, Tennessee
