Nov. 9, 2010
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Senior forward Victoria Dunlap and sophomore guard A’dia Mathies have been named to the prestigious 2010-11 Naismith preseason watch list, the Atlanta Tip Off Club announced.
The watch list was 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 2010-11 college basketball season. The Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T will be awarded on April 4, 2011 at the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Indianapolis.
Dunlap and Mathies are two of seven players chosen from the Southeastern Conference. Joining UK on the list is Tennessee (Angie Bjorklund, Kelley Cain, Shekinna Stricklen), LSU (LaSondra Barrett) and Vanderbilt (Jence Rhoads).
Dunlap, a 6-foot-1 forward from Nashville, Tenn., is already revered as one of the most heralded players in UK Hoops history. The preseason and reigning Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and first-team All-SEC selection is coming off a banner junior season that saw her average an impressive 18.1 points, 8.4 rebounds and a SEC-high 3.1 steals per game. She is also a candidate for the State Farm Wade Trophy, John R. Wooden Award and the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award.
Mathies, a 5-9 guard from Louisville, Ky., averaged 13.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game as a freshman in 2009-10, helping lead the Wildcats to a remarkable, record-breaking season. Mathies was UK’s first freshman All-American since Valerie Still in 1980 and was named the first SEC Freshman of the Year in UK Hoops history. She completed her rookie campaign ranking among UK’s all-time leaders in 10 different freshman statistical categories, including first in steals (93) and second in points (491). Mathies was a preseason All-SEC first-team selection by the league coaches and a second-team pick by the media for 2010-11.
Since 2005, presenting sponsor AT&T has set the standard in allowing fans to participate in determining the trophy winner. Through the power and ease of text messaging fan voting will account for 25 percent of all of the final results – more than any other national college basketball award.
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.
The Naismith Trophy is the most prestigious national award presented annually to college basketball’s player of the year. For more information, visit www.naismithawards.com.
