McCoughtry Named to Wade Trophy Watch List
August 19, 2008 | Women's Basketball
Aug. 19, 2008
Louisville, Ky. - The Women's Basketball Coaches Association, on behalf of the Wade Coalition, announced the 2008-09 preseason "Wade Watch" list for the State Farm Wade Trophy Division I Player of the Year Tuesday. Louisville senior Angel McCoughtry headlines the 25-member list which is made up of top Division I student-athletes who best embody the spirit of Lily Margaret Wade according to the following criteria: game and season statistics, leadership, character, effect on their team and overall playing ability.
"Once again our committee has done an amazing job putting together a stellar group of student-athletes that have shown their leadership on the court, in the classroom and in the community," said committee chair Jeanne Lenti Ponsetto. "Each one represents all that this award is about, and I look forward to April when we will name another talented woman to this prestigious list."
McCoughtry, a two-time WBCA All-American, returns to the watch list for her second consecutive year. She led the team and BIG EAST in scoring last season with 23.3 points and 4.1 steals per game last season. She enters the 2008-09 season just 22 points and 44 rebounds from becoming the all-time leader in both categories. She finished her junior season ranked fourth in the nation in scoring and second in steals.
The BIG EAST leads all conferences yet again with eight student-athletes followed by the Atlantic Coast Conference (6), the Pacific-10 Conference (4), the Big 12 Conference (3), Big Ten Conference (2) and Southeastern Conference (2).
The State Farm Wade Trophy, now in its 32nd year and named after the late, legendary three-time national champion Delta State University coach, Lily Margaret Wade, debuted in 1978 as the first-ever women's national player of the year award in college basketball. This highly prestigious award, regarded as the "Heisman of Women's Basketball", is organized by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), in conjunction with the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS).
The 2009 State Farm Wade Trophy winner will be announced at the WBCA National Convention held in conjunction with the NCAA Women's Final Four in St. Louis, Mo., April 3-7, 2009.
2008-09 State Farm Wade Trophy Preseason List
The preseason candidates for the State Farm Wade Trophy are listed in alphabetical order:
Name Year Position Institution
Jayne Appel Junior C Stanford
Chante Black Senior C Duke
DeWanna Bonner Senior G Auburn
Tina Charles Junior C Connecticut
Marissa Coleman Senior G/F Maryland
Allyssa DeHaan Junior C Michigan State
Krystal Ellis Senior G Marquette
Devanei Hampton Senior C Cal
Jantel Lavender Sophomore C Ohio State
Rashanda McCants Senior G/F North Carolina
Angel McCoughtry Senior F Louisville
Renee Montgomery Senior G Connecticut
Maya Moore Sophomore F Connecticut
Courtney Paris Senior C Oklahoma
Kayla Pederson Sophomore F Stanford
Epiphanny Prince Junior G Rutgers
Andrea Riley Junior G Oklahoma State
Takia Starks Senior G Texas A&M
Kristi Toliver Senior G Maryland
Kia Vaughn Senior C Rutgers
Ashley Walker Senior F Cal
Abby Waner Senior G Duke
Christina Wirth Senior G/F Vanderbilt
Monica Wright Junior G Virginia
Shavonte Zellous Senior G Pittsburgh
