Aug. 19, 2008
Vanderbilt senior Christina Wirth was one of only two student-athletes from the Southeastern Conference named to the 2008-09 preseason “Wade Watch” list for the State Farm Wade Trophy Division I Player of the Year, announced Tuesday by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association on behalf of the Wade Coalition.
Wirth averaged 13.1 points per game for the 25-9 Commodores last year, leading the squad to its third Sweet 16 appearance in the last six years. The Mesa, Ariz., native ranked among the SEC’s Top 15 in scoring, three-point shooting, assists, steals, defensive rebounds and minutes played during league play.
“This is a well-deserved honor for a player that has worked hard to continually improve her game,” VU Head Coach Melanie Balcomb said. “There is no doubt that Christina is among the nation’s most talented players, but she is truly set apart by her incredible work ethic, versatility and outstanding basketball IQ.”
The 25-member list is made up of top Division I student-athletes who best embody the spirit of Lily Margaret Wade according to the following criteria: game and season statistics, leadership, character, effect on their team and overall playing ability.
“Once again our committee has done an amazing job putting together a stellar group of student-athletes that have shown their leadership on the court, in the classroom and in the community,” said committee chair Jeanne Lenti Ponsetto. “Each one represents all that this award is about, and I look forward to April when we will name another talented woman to this prestigious list.”
The State Farm Wade Trophy, now in its 32nd 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 highly prestigious award, regarded as the “Heisman of Women’s Basketball,” is organized by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), in conjunction with the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS).
This year’s list has 18 institutions and six conferences represented, including 12 players who were on last season’s “Wade Watch.” Stanford senior Candice Wiggins won the 2008 State Farm Wade Trophy after leading the Cardinal to the NCAA Final Four.
The only two-time winners of the Wade Trophy were Louisiana State’s Seimone Augustus (2005 and 2006) and Old Dominion’s Nancy Lieberman (1979 and 1980). Vanderbilt’s Chantelle Anderson was a finalist for the award in 2002 and 2003.
The 2009 State Farm Wade Trophy winner will be announced at the WBCA National Convention held in conjunction with the NCAA Women’s Final Four in St. Louis, April 3-7, 2009.
2008-09 State Farm Wade Trophy Preseason List
The preseason candidates for the State Farm Wade Trophy are listed in alphabetical order:
| Name | Year | Position | Institution |
| Jayne Appel | Junior | C | Stanford |
| Chante Black | Senior | C | Duke |
| DeWanna Bonner | Senior | G | Auburn |
| Tina Charles | Junior | C | Connecticut |
| Marissa Coleman | Senior | G/F | Maryland |
| Allyssa DeHaan | Junior | C | Michigan State |
| Krystal Ellis | Senior | G | Marquette |
| Devanei Hampton | Senior | C | Cal |
| Jantel Lavender | Sophomore | C | Ohio State |
| Rashanda McCants | Senior | G/F | North Carolina |
| Angel McCoughtry | Senior | F | Louisville |
| Renee Montgomery | Senior | G | Connecticut |
| Maya Moore | Sophomore | F | Connecticut |
| Courtney Paris | Senior | C | Oklahoma |
| Kayla Pederson | Sophomore | F | Stanford |
| Epiphanny Prince | Junior | G | Rutgers |
| Andrea Riley | Junior | G | Oklahoma State |
| Takia Starks | Senior | G | Texas A&M |
| Kristi Toliver | Senior | G | Maryland |
| Kia Vaughn | Senior | C | Rutgers |
| Ashley Walker | Senior | F | Cal |
| Abby Waner | Senior | G | Duke |
| Christina Wirth | Senior | G/F | Vanderbilt |
| Monica Wright | Junior | G | Virginia |
| Shavonte Zellous | Senior | G | Pittsburgh |
The Wade Trophy Coalition was established in June of 2000 when the WBCA partnered with The National Association of Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS). For the past eight years the two have worked together to present The State Farm Wade Trophy Player of the Year Award. A committee comprised of coaches, administration and media from across the United States selects the winner.
About the NAGWS
The National Association of Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS) was established to develop and deliver equitable and quality sport opportunities for ALL girls and women through relevant research, advocacy, leadership development, educational strategies and programming in a manner that promotes social justice and change.
About the WBCA
Founded in 1981, the WBCA promotes women’s basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to develop a reputable identity for the sport and to foster and promote the development of the game as a sport for women and girls. For additional information about the WBCA, please visit wbca.org.
