ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has chosen the recipients of its 2010-11 women’s postseason honors. Connecticut’s Maya Moore is the National Player of the Year, while Baylor’s Kim Mulkey is the National Coach of the Year and Baylor’s Odyssey Sims is the National Freshman of the Year. All three selections will be honored at the USBWA Women’s Awards Breakfast on Tues., April 5 in Indianapolis.
Moore has led the Huskies to a fourth straight Big East title and a trip to the Final Four, averaging 22.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. She becomes just the third two-time USBWA National Player of the Year (Tennessee’s Candace Parker and Chamique Holdsclaw) and only the second player to earn USBWA All-America honors four times (Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris). Like Paris, she was also the USBWA National Freshman of the Year (2008) in addition to being the National Player of the Year two seasons ago. Moore’s selection as the player of the year marks the sixth time and the third straight season a Connecticut player has earned the honor.
Following is the complete list of 2010-11 USBWA women’s honors:
Danielle Adams, Texas A&M F/C 6-1 Sr. (Kansas City, Mo.)
Brittney Griner, Baylor C 6-8 So. (Houston, Texas)
Amber Harris, Xavier F 6-5 Sr. (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Shenise Johnson, Miami G 5-11 Jr. (Henrietta, N.Y.)
Jantel Lavender, Ohio State C 6-4 Sr. (Cleveland, Ohio)
Maya Moore, Connecticut F 6-0 Sr. (Lawrenceville, Ga.)
Nnemkadi Ogwumike, Stanford F 6-2 Jr. (Cypress, Texas)
Jeanette Pohlen, Stanford G 6-0 Sr. (Brea, Calif.)
Shekinna Stricklen, Tennessee G/F 6-2 Jr. (Morrilton, Ark.)
Courtney Vandersloot, Gonzaga G 5-8 Sr. (Kent, Wash.)
Brittney Griner, Baylor C 6-8 So. (Houston, Texas)
Amber Harris, Xavier F 6-5 Sr. (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Shenise Johnson, Miami G 5-11 Jr. (Henrietta, N.Y.)
Jantel Lavender, Ohio State C 6-4 Sr. (Cleveland, Ohio)
Maya Moore, Connecticut F 6-0 Sr. (Lawrenceville, Ga.)
Nnemkadi Ogwumike, Stanford F 6-2 Jr. (Cypress, Texas)
Jeanette Pohlen, Stanford G 6-0 Sr. (Brea, Calif.)
Shekinna Stricklen, Tennessee G/F 6-2 Jr. (Morrilton, Ark.)
Courtney Vandersloot, Gonzaga G 5-8 Sr. (Kent, Wash.)
Player of the Year: Maya Moore, Connecticut
Coach of the Year: Kim Mulkey, Baylor
Freshman of the Year: Odyssey Sims, Baylor
Coach of the Year: Kim Mulkey, Baylor
Freshman of the Year: Odyssey Sims, Baylor
Well, Wally, you’re alma mater vs your daughter’s school. Interesting dilemma. I am already nominating ND women for POTW for finally beating TN after 20 straight losses and then knocking off UConn after 3 straight this year. Specifically I am nominating Natalie Novosel. She came up big at both ends of the court vs UConn. Hope she has as much success against the Aggies!
It’s an All-Wally final!
Yes, guys, can’t lose in this Finals matchup. Mol and I will be rooting for the Irish, while daughter Emily is pulling for her Aggies. Rest of the family is split down the middle. Some of them obviously don’t know the meaning of sucking up to Mom & Dad yet. Ha … jk. 🙂
Well, regardless of the outcome, we’re delighted that both these great teams made it this far … quite a season!
Now we’re gonna be off to the Men’s Final later today. Strong rumor has it that Casey is in town. He may even be at my house, but I haven’t seen him (yet).
I think this final is great for the women’s game. I’m sick of UCONN and Maya Moore, not that they’ve done anything wrong other than be good at what they do for so long. However, The Diggins girl from Notre Dame is really fun to watch. She is crafty handling the ball through traffic and has a fearlessness about getting a shot up. Texas A&M, from the few minutes I watched, is great defensively and will get out and run.
Agree, Rey. It’s always nice to see the “dynasty-type” teams go down cuz it gives the other teams some hope.
Diggins is only a sophomore, so ND should be national “contenders” for a couple more years at least. And Novosel was so clutch in the 2nd half last night … 18 points … as Pete pointed out.
It will be a tough, close game Tuesday. ND should be very confident … hopefully no let down just cuz they beat UConn … they’re not finished.