Covington Named a Naismith Candidate
January 11, 2006 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 11, 2006
Louisville, Ky. - Junior Jazz Covington is one of fifty of the country's top collegiate women's basketball players named as pre-season candidates for the Naismith Trophy presented by Cingular Wireless, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today. The Naismith Trophy is the most prestigious national award presented annually to the men's and women's players 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.
"The candidates represent an elite level of student-athlete in women's college basketball," said Gary Stokan, Atlanta Sports Council president. "Any of these players would make an outstanding Naismith Trophy winner."
Covington leads the Cardinals in scoring this season, averaging 11.9 points per game and 6.9 rebounds per game. She is connecting on 52.7 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from behind the arc. Covington was also named to the Wooden Award Watch List.
Last year's Naismith Trophy recipient was LSU's Seimone Augustus. Other notable women's college player of the year winners include Diania Taurasi, Cheryl Miller, Chamique Holdsclaw and Sheryl Swoopes.
The preseason candidates for the Naismith Trophy presented by Cingular Wireless, listed in alphabetical order, are as follows:
2005-2006 Top 50 Pre-Season Candidates
Matee Ajavon, Rutgers Seimone Augustus, LSU Alison Bales, Duke Nikki Blue, UCLA Lindsay Bowen, Michigan State Meg Bulger, West Virginia Jazz Covington, Louisville Tasha Crain-Williams, Louisianna Tech Monique Currie, Duke Chesley Dabbs, Texas Tech Jessica Davenport, Ohio State Dee Davis, Vanderbilt Shay Doron, Maryland Megan Duffy, Notre Dame Candice Dupree, Temple Emily Faurholt, Idaho Sylvia Fowles, LSU Katie Gearlds, Purdue Erin Grant, Texas Tech Lindsey Harding, Duke Alexis Hornbuckle, Tennessee Brandie Hoskins, Ohio State Charde Houston, UConn Tasha Humphrey, Georgia Tiffany Jackson, Texas Tamara James, Miami Crystal Kelly, Western Kentucky Crystal Langhorne, Maryland Erlana Larkins, North Carolina Ivory Latta, North Carolina Camille Little, North Carolina Candace Parker, Tennessee Cappie Pondexter, Rutgers Armintie Price, Ole Miss Noelle Quinn, UCLA Leah Rush, Oklahoma Liz Shimek, Michigan State Khara Smith, DePaul Brooke Smith, Stanford Kim Smith, Utah Tiffany Stansbury, NC State Ann Strother, Uconn Carla Thomas, Vanderbilt Barbara Turner, Uconn Candice Wiggins, Stanford Mistie Williams, Duke Lisa Willis, UCLA Sophia Young, Baylor Shanna Zolman, Tennessee
