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Vanderbilt’s Benningfield Named Candidate For State Farm Wade Trophy 8-20-03 8/20/2003 Preseason recognition continues for Vanderbilt senior forward Jenni Benningfield who was named today a candidate for the 2003-2004 State Farm Wade Trophy and NCAA Division I Player of the Year. The selection by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), is Benningfield’s second to a preseason list in the last week. She was named to the inaugural Wooden Women’s Award Preseason All-America Team announced Wednesday, Aug. 13. Benningfield, a native of Louisville, Ky. (Assumption High School), is coming off her best season as a Commodore, have garnered Honorable Mention All-America status from the Associated Press and All-Southeastern Conference honors from the league coaches and the Associated Press. Benningfield ranked second on the team and fifth in the SEC, averaging 16.5 points a contest while finishing sixth in the conference with a team-high 7.9 rebounds per game. She also ranked fifth in the SEC, shooting 55.6 percent from the field. Benningfield enters her final collegiate campaign ranked 20th on Vanderbilt’s all-time scoring list with 1,068 points. On August 9, Benningfield helped lead the USA Pan American Games team to a silver-medal finish in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. She started all seven games for the squad, averaging 9.1 points and 3.9 rebounds. The State Farm Wade Trophy, now in its 27th year and named after the late, legendary three-time national champion Delta State University coach, Lily Margaret Wade, debuted in 1978 as the first-ever women’s national player of the year award in college basketball. This most prestigious award, regarded as “The Heisman of Women’s Basketball”, is organized by the WBCA in conjunction with the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS). The candidates were selected by a vote of committee members comprised of leading basketball coaches, journalists, and basketball administrators. Members of the committee were asked to name top female players who are most likely to be in contention for the award. “We are extremely proud to produce for the first-time ever, The State Farm Wade Trophy pre-season list, which boasts the most talented women’s basketball players in the nation,” said WBCA CEO, Beth Bass. “This year’s State Farm “Wade Watch” will once again be competitive and full of excitement.” The pre-season candidates for The State Farm Wade Trophy, listed in alphabetical order, are as follows: The State Farm “Wade Watch” (2003-2004) Pre-Season Candidates for the State Farm Wade Trophy Player School Class Augustus, Seimone Louisiana State University Sophomore Batteast, Jacqueline University of Notre Dame Junior Beard, Alana Duke University Junior Benningfield, Jenni Vanderbilt University Senior Bjorklund, Tera University of Colorado Junior Brunson, Rebekkah Georgetown University Senior Carey, Jamie University of Texas Senior Chones, Kaayla North Carolina State University Senior Christon, Shameka University of Arkansas Senior Ely, Shyra University of Tennessee Junior Hoffman, Ebony University of Southern California Senior Johnson, Temeka Louisiana State University Senior Jones, Chandi University of Houston Senior Kublina, Ieva Virginia Tech Senior Lillis, Jennie University of Iowa Senior Mazzante, Kelly Penn State University Senior McCarville, Janel University of Minnesota Junior Mendiola, Giuliana University of Washington Senior Moore, Loree University of Tennessee Junior Ohlde, Nicole Kansas State University Senior Perkins, Jia Texas Tech University Senior Polk, Shawntinice University of Arizona Sophomore Pondexter, Cappie Rutgers University Junior Powell, Nicole Stanford University Senior Schreiber, Heather University of Texas Junior Smith, Kim University of Utah Sophomore Stephens, Stacy University of Texas Senior Taurasi, Diana University of Connecticut Senior Teamer, Brandi University of Virginia Junior Thomas, Christi University of Georgia Senior Tillis, Iciss Duke University Senior Wecker, Kendra Kansas State University Junior Whalen, Lindsay University of Minnesota Senior White, Tan Mississippi State University Junior Wright, Shereka Purdue University Senior |
