Dana Evans Named Wade Trophy Finalist
March 25, 2021 | Women's Basketball
The prestigious award is presented by the WBCA each year to the best player in college women’s basketball.
ATLANTA (March 25, 2021) – The Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced today that University of Louisville women's basketball senior guard Dana Evans is one of four finalists for the 2021 Wade Trophy. The prestigious award is presented by the WBCA each year to the best player in college women's basketball.
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Evans is joined by Naz Hillmon of Michigan, Rhyne Howard of Kentucky, and NaLyssa Smith of Baylor.
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Evans, Louisville's regular-season leading scorer with a 20.0 point-per-game average, has led the Cardinals to a 25-3 record and a fourth straight Atlantic Coast Conference regular season title. The 5-foot-6 senior guard from Gary, Indiana, was named ACC Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. The 2020 WBCA Coaches' All-American is the ninth player in ACC history to win the award in back-to-back years. Evans is a finalist for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award presented by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and WBCA to the nation's best shooting guard.
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The Wade Trophy — now in its 44nd year — is the oldest and most prestigious national player of the year award in college women's basketball. It is named in honor of the late, legendary Delta State University head coach Lily Margaret Wade, who won three consecutive national championships with the Lady Statesmen. First awarded in 1978 by the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), now known as SHAPE America, the Wade Trophy has been presented to the WBCA NCAA Division I National Player of the Year since 2001. Freshmen are not eligible for the honor.
Carol Blazejowski of Montclair State was the first recipient of the Wade Trophy. Two-time winners include Nancy Lieberman (1979, 1980) of Old Dominion, Seimone Augustus (2005, 2006) of LSU, Brittney Griner (2012, 2013) of Baylor, Breanna Stewart (2015, 2016) of Connecticut, and Sabrina Ionescu (2019, 2020) of Oregon. Maya Moore (2009, 2010, 2011) of Connecticut is the only three-time recipient.
About the WBCA
Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women's and girls' basketball at all levels of competition. The WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of a diverse community of coaches to the organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. Visit WBCA.org for more details about the association.
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For the latest on Louisville women's basketball, visit GoCards.com, follow the team's Twitter account at @UofLWBB or on Facebook at facebook.com/UofLWBB.
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Evans is joined by Naz Hillmon of Michigan, Rhyne Howard of Kentucky, and NaLyssa Smith of Baylor.
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Evans, Louisville's regular-season leading scorer with a 20.0 point-per-game average, has led the Cardinals to a 25-3 record and a fourth straight Atlantic Coast Conference regular season title. The 5-foot-6 senior guard from Gary, Indiana, was named ACC Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. The 2020 WBCA Coaches' All-American is the ninth player in ACC history to win the award in back-to-back years. Evans is a finalist for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award presented by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and WBCA to the nation's best shooting guard.
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The Wade Trophy — now in its 44nd year — is the oldest and most prestigious national player of the year award in college women's basketball. It is named in honor of the late, legendary Delta State University head coach Lily Margaret Wade, who won three consecutive national championships with the Lady Statesmen. First awarded in 1978 by the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), now known as SHAPE America, the Wade Trophy has been presented to the WBCA NCAA Division I National Player of the Year since 2001. Freshmen are not eligible for the honor.
Carol Blazejowski of Montclair State was the first recipient of the Wade Trophy. Two-time winners include Nancy Lieberman (1979, 1980) of Old Dominion, Seimone Augustus (2005, 2006) of LSU, Brittney Griner (2012, 2013) of Baylor, Breanna Stewart (2015, 2016) of Connecticut, and Sabrina Ionescu (2019, 2020) of Oregon. Maya Moore (2009, 2010, 2011) of Connecticut is the only three-time recipient.
About the WBCA
Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women's and girls' basketball at all levels of competition. The WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of a diverse community of coaches to the organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. Visit WBCA.org for more details about the association.
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For the latest on Louisville women's basketball, visit GoCards.com, follow the team's Twitter account at @UofLWBB or on Facebook at facebook.com/UofLWBB.
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Players Mentioned
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