Nov. 25, 2013
LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky women’s basketball senior forward DeNesha Stallworth was selected to the prestigious 2013-14 Naismith Trophy preseason watch list, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced on Monday.
The 50-player 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 2013-2014 college basketball season. The Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year presented by AT&T will be awarded on April 7, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn.
The All-America candidate helped lead the Wildcats to their third Elite Eight in the last four seasons and a school record 30 wins in 2012-13. Earlier this season, Stallworth was also named to the 2013-14 preseason “Wade Watch” list of candidates for the prestigious Wade Trophy, the Wooden Award Preseason Top 30, while also earning preseason All-Southeastern Conference First Team honors from the league’s coaches and media.
Stallworth, a native of Richmond, Calif., is also one of 30 candidates for the 2013-14 Senior CLASS Award.
Stallworth currently leads the seventh-ranked Wildcats (6-0) in scoring at 13.8 points per game and is third on the team in rebounding at 6.0 rebounds per game. She is shooting a team-best 62.7 percent (32-of-51) from the field, while also knocking down 81.8 percent (18-of-22) of her free throws. Stallworth collected her 22nd career double-double at Wagner on Nov. 10 with 18 points and 13 rebounds.
She is one of eight players on the list from the Southeastern Conference. Joining her are Christina Foggie (Vanderbilt), Bashaara Graves (Tennessee), Ariel Massengale (Tennessee), Theresa Plaisance (LSU), Meighan Simmons (Tennessee), Courtney Walker (Texas A&M) and Aleighsa Welch (South Carolina).
In February, the Naismith voting academy narrows the list to the top 30 based on athletic performance. In March, the voting academy selects the four finalists who will go the final ballot. The winner is selected by a board of selectors vote in conjunction with fan voting.
The Wildcats return to the court Wednesday, Nov. 27 against Bradley at Noon ET in Memorial Coliseum.
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