McCoughtry Named a Naismith Award Finalist
March 24, 2009 | Women's Basketball
March 24, 2009
Louisville, Ky. - The Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today that Angel McCoughtry joins Connecticut's Renee Montgomery and Maya Moore along with Oklahoma's Courtney Paris to vie for the most prestigious national award in women's college basketball the 2009 Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T.
The finalists were voted on 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 criteria on player performances this season. The vote was tabulated and certified by the accounting firm of Habif, Arogeti & Wynne, LLP. HA&W is the largest independent accounting firm in Georgia and one of the top 50 firms in the United States.
The Naismith Women's College Player of the Year winner will be announced during the WBCA awards luncheon April 6 in St. Louis.
"All four candidates offer intriguing story lines, whether it's the three seniors who have had magnificent careers or a sophomore who's already won a Naismith Trophy at the high school level," said Gary Stokan, Atlanta Tipoff Club president. "The upcoming tournament will showcase tremendous basketball and will also position one of these deserving candidates to claim the Naismith Trophy."
McCoughtry averaged 23.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game this season en route to becoming a first-team All-BIG EAST selection for the third straight season. She also earned BIG EAST All-Tournament honors. McCoughtry was named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league in several statistical categories this season. For the third straight season, she led the league in points per game (26.6), rebounds (10.0) and steals (78) becoming the first player in conference history to achieve such a feat. She leads the nation in steals with 4.7 steals per game.
