DALLAS -- University of Texas 6-3 junior All-America forward Tiffany Jackson and 5-8 senior guard Nina Norman both gained Preseason All-Big 12 Conference honors Tuesday, in a vote by the league coaches. Only five players earned First Team honors, while 10 received honorable mention recognition. (Coaches could not vote for their own players).
Jackson is a preseason national player of the year candidate for the State Farm Wade Trophy and Wooden Award, and was one of the five players chosen to the 2005 All-Big 12 First Team last winter.
Gaining Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year honors was Baylor 6-1 senior forward Sophia Young, the league's 2004-05 Player of the Year who went on to claim NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors.
Jackson returns for her third season after leading the Longhorns in scoring (18.3 ppg), rebounding (8.0 rpg), blocks (1.9 bpg) and steals (3.3 spg) a year ago. Jackson and Young were the only two players last year to rank in the top 10 in league scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage. Jackson was third in league scoring (19.3), third in rebounding (9.1) and second in field goal shooting (.568), while also finishing league action first in steals (2.9 spg) and third in blocks (1.9 bpg).
Norman is coming off a junior year which saw her lead the Longhorns in assists (98) and assist average (3.5) for the second consecutive year while finishing fourth in scoring with 7.8 points per game.
Joining Jackson and Young on the Preseason First Team were 5-6 junior guard Kiera Hardy (Nebraska), 6-1 junior forward Leah Rush (Oklahoma) and 5-8 senior guard Erin Grant of Texas Tech. Young, Hardy, Jackson and Grant were members of the 2004-05 All-Big 12 First Team while Rush was a second team selection.
Kansas' 5-6 junior transfer guard Shaquina Mosley, the 2005 National Junior College Player of the Year at Central Arizona CC, was chosen Preseason Newcomer of the Year and 6-4 freshman center Courtney Paris (Oklahoma) was selected Preseason Freshman of the Year.
The Big 12 Conference will hold its annual Big 12 Men's and Women's Basketball Media Days in Dallas on Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 19-20.
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