Jackson selected as candidate for Naismith Trophy
ATLANTA -- University of Texas 6-3 senior forward Tiffany Jackson was named a candidate for the Naismith Trophy (National Player of the Year honor), as announced Monday by the Atlanta Tipoff Club, the governing group of the award, and Cingular Wireless, the award's sponsor. This is the third year in a row that Jackson has made the list of candidates for this national award. Jackson also was on the preseason list for the other two major National Player of the Year awards -- the State Farm Wade Trophy and the Wooden Award. She currently leads the No. 23 ranked Longhorns (7-2) in numerous stat categories, including points (18.4 ppg), rebounds (9.0 rpg), blocks (13, 1.44 bpg), steals (31, 3.44 spg), double-doubles (4) and minutes played (34.7 mpg) while standing second in assists with 26 (a 2.9 apg average). A total of 50 candidates were announced Monday for the Naismith Award which is an annual award which honors the national player of the year in men's and women's college basketball. Seimone Augustus of LSU won the award the past two seasons for the women, while the 2005-06 men's winner was Duke senior guard J.J. Redick. Other notable women's winners include Diana Taurasi, Cheryl Miller, Chamique Holdsclaw and Sheryl Swoopes. The Top 50 list, selected on last season's performances and expectations for the 2006-07 season, was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club's Board of Selectors, comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country. In January, the Board of Selectors will narrow the list to the Top 30 players in the nation. Those players, and others who distinguish themselves throughout the season, will be eligible for the final ballot in March. Cingular Wireless, will let fans assist in determining the winner. Text messaging will account for 25 percent of the final results when the final ballot is released in March. Of the Top 50 candidates, five hail from the Big 12 Conference: Jackson; junior guard/forward Morenike Atunrase (Texas A&M); senior guard Kiera Hardy (Nebraska); 5-9 senior guard Lindsey Medders (Iowa State); and 6-4 sophomore center Courtney Paris from Oklahoma.
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