March 25, 2009

Lexington, Ky. – Kentucky women’s basketball signee Adia Mathies (AH-dee-ah MATH-is) of Louisville, Ky., has been named the 2009 Kentucky Miss Basketball, announced Wednesday at Iroquois High School by the Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation. The award is chosen by the state’s high school coaches. Mathies will be the seventh Kentucky Miss Basketball to play for the Wildcats, including the third in the last five years. She joins 2007 winner Rebecca Gray (Georgetown) on the UK squad next season.

“I am extremely happy for Adia,” UK Hoops Coach Matthew Mitchell said. “Her being named Miss Basketball 2009 is truly special. It is the culmination of an unbelievable high school career. She is an incredible player and we are looking forward to her playing for the Wildcats next season. It is always an honor for everyone associated with UK Hoops to have a Kentucky Miss Basketball on our roster.”

The 5-9 senior also was named the Most Valuable Player of the Houchens Industries Girls’ Sweet Sixteen championship, the Gatorade Kentucky Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year and the Louisville Courier-Journal’s Sixth Region Player of the Year. She averaged 17.1 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.9 steals, 3.8 assists and 1.9 blocks per game while leading Iroquois High School to an impressive 33-1 overall record and the Lady Raiders’ first state tournament title.

She will wear the No. 1 jersey when Kentucky faces Indiana in the states’ annual high school all-star series, set for June 13 in Indianapolis and June 14 in Louisville.

Mathies is ranked as the 13th-best shooting guard in the country and 65th overall player, according to ESPN HoopGurlz.com. She has been a varsity player since the sixth grade and has tallied over 2,800 career points while starting at guard seven consecutive seasons.

She chose Kentucky over Louisville and Florida.