Nov. 30, 2011

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Junior guard A’dia Mathies has been named to the prestigious 2011-12 Naismith Trophy preseason watch list, the Atlanta Tip Off Club announced.

The watch list is compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors, which based its criteria on player performances from the previous year and expectations for the 2012 college basketball season. The 2012 Naismith Trophy will be awarded at the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Denver.

Mathies, a 5-foot-9 guard from Louisville, Ky., is a 2011-12 preseason All-Southeastern Conference First Team selection by both the league coaches and media. Last season, Mathies averaged 12.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.1 steals per game despite moving from her natural two-guard spot to the point guard position midway through the season out of necessity for the team. With Mathies as the floor general, the Wildcats advanced to their second straight NCAA Tournament, UK’s first back-to-back appearances in the “Big Dance” in 28 years.

Mathies currently leads No. 12/10 Kentucky (7-0) in scoring with 15.4 points per game and has scored in double digits in all seven games this season. She also leads the SEC and ranks ninth nationally in steals per game (4.4). She ranks 10th all-time at UK in steals (195), and is just six takeaways from tying former Wildcat great Valerie Still at No. 9. Mathies is No. 25 all-time in scoring at UK, accumulating 1,034 points in the first 77 games of her UK career.

Mathies is one of five players on the list from the Southeastern Conference. Joining her on the list are LaSondra Barrett (LSU), Glory Johnson (Tennessee), Meighan Simmons (Tennessee) and Shekinna Stricklen (Tennessee).

In late February, the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors will compile a mid-season team of the top 30 players in the nation. Then in March, the Naismith Trophy voting academy will vote to narrow the list to the four finalists.

For more information, visit www.naismithawards.com.