ATLANTA (November 29, 2017) — Two-time WBCA Coaches’ All-Americans Kelsey Mitchell of Ohio State and A’ja Wilson of South Carolina headline the 2017-18 list of candidates for the Wade Trophy, which is presented each year to the best player in college women’s basketball, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced today.
The Wade Trophy — now in its 41st 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.
The Wade Watch list of candidates for The Wade Trophy is composed of 25 players selected by the WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches’ All-America Selection Committee. The committee will review the list in January to determine if additional players will be added based on their play during the first half of the 2017-18 season.
The WBCA will announce the four finalists for the honor in mid-March. The winner of the 2018 Wade Trophy will be announced during ESPN2’s telecast of the 2018 NCAA® Women’s Final Four® national semifinal games on March 30.
Here is the list:
|
Player |
Institution |
Position |
Height |
Year |
|
Kristine Anigwe |
California |
C/F |
6-4 |
Jr. |
|
Monique Billings |
UCLA |
F |
6-4 |
Sr. |
|
Kalani Brown |
Baylor |
C |
6-7 |
Jr. |
|
Lexie Brown |
Duke |
G |
5-9 |
RS Sr. |
|
Tyra Buss |
Indiana |
G |
5-8 |
Sr. |
|
Jordin Canada |
UCLA |
G |
5-6 |
Sr. |
|
Napheesa Collier |
Connecticut |
F |
6-1 |
Jr. |
|
Sophie Cunningham |
Missouri |
G |
6-1 |
Jr. |
|
Asia Durr |
Louisville |
G |
5-10 |
Jr. |
|
Katelynn Flaherty |
Michigan |
G |
5-7 |
Sr. |
|
Myisha Hines-Allen |
Louisville |
F |
6-2 |
Sr. |
|
Sabrina Ionescu |
Oregon |
G |
5-10 |
So. |
|
Kitija Laksa |
South Florida |
F |
6-0 |
Jr. |
|
Tynice Martin |
West Virginia |
G |
5-11 |
Jr. |
|
Brooke McCarty |
Texas |
G |
5-4 |
Sr. |
|
Kelsey Mitchell |
Ohio State |
G |
5-8 |
Sr. |
|
Kia Nurse |
Connecticut |
G |
6-0 |
Sr. |
|
Arike Ogunbowale |
Notre Dame |
G |
5-8 |
Jr. |
|
Mercedes Russell |
Tennessee |
C |
6-6 |
RS Sr. |
|
Katie Lou Samuelson |
Connecticut |
G/F |
6-3 |
Jr. |
|
Shakayla Thomas |
Florida State |
F |
5-11 |
Sr. |
|
Victoria Vivians |
Mississippi State |
G |
6-1 |
Sr. |
|
Morgan William |
Mississippi State |
G |
5-5 |
Sr. |
|
Gabby Williams |
Connecticut |
F |
5-11 |
Sr. |
|
A'ja Wilson |
South Carolina |
F |
6-5 |
Sr. |
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 those 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.
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