Competition for the 2019 Citizen Naismith Trophy for Women’s Player of the Year Begins with 50 Candidates to Watch
ATLANTA (November 12, 2018) – The Atlanta Tipoff Club released today the 50 names on the Citizen Naismith Trophy Women’s Watch List. The midseason 30 team will be announced on Feb. 11, 2019, and then the competition will be narrowed down to 10 national semifinalists on March 4, 2019. The four finalists will be named on March 22, 2019, and the winner of the 2019 Citizen Naismith Trophy for Women’s Player of the Year will be announced on April 6, 2019.
“These 50 talented candidates are the ones to watch, and the competition for the 2019 Women’s Citizen Naismith Trophy will heat up as more players enter the competition throughout the season,” said Eric Oberman, executive director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “We are excited to watch these women play as they have another great year of college basketball ahead of them.”
Overall, 11 players on the Women’s Watch List represent the ACC, and the SEC is a close runner-up with 10 candidates included. Notre Dame, the 2018 NCAA Women’s Basketball Champion and a program looking for a second Women’s Citizen Naismith Trophy win, leads the pack with five players appearing on the Watch List, followed by UConn, which has won more Citizen Naismith Trophies (10) than any other school and Baylor and Oregon with three candidates apiece.
“The Citizen Naismith Trophy celebrates the accomplishments of student-athletes who demonstrate through their play the inner drive and passion that mirrors that of our company’s founding members,” said Eric Horowitz, managing director U.S. and travel retail, Citizen Watch Company of America, Inc. “We are looking forward to watching these 50 talented women play this season as they compete for the Women’s Player of the Year honor.”
2019 Citizen Naismith Trophy Women’s Watch List
| NAME | CLASS | POSITION | SCHOOL | CONFERENCE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kristine Anigwe | Sr. | C/F | California | Pac-12 |
| Kenisha Bell | Sr. | G | Minnesota | Big Ten |
| Allazia Blockton | Sr. | G | Marquette | BIG EAST |
| Kalani Brown | Sr. | C | Baylor | Big 12 |
| Kelly Campbell | Jr. | G | DePaul | BIG EAST |
| Bridget Carleton | Sr. | G | Iowa State | Big 12 |
| Chennedy Carter | So. | G | Texas A&M | SEC |
| Kaila Charles | Jr. | G | Maryland | Big Ten |
| Napheesa Collier | Sr. | F | UConn | AAC |
| Lauren Cox | Jr. | F | Baylor | Big 12 |
| Sophie Cunningham | Sr. | G | Missouri | SEC |
| Crystal Dangerfield | Jr. | G | UConn | AAC |
| Naomi Davenport | Sr. | G/F | West Virginia | Big 12 |
| Rennia Davis | So. | G/F | Tennessee | SEC |
| Cierra Dillard | Sr. | G | Buffalo | MAC |
| Asia Durr | Sr. | G | Louisville | ACC |
| Sam Fuehring | Sr. | F | Louisville | ACC |
| Megan Gustafson | Sr. | F | Iowa | Big Ten |
| Tyasha Harris | Jr. | G | South Carolina | SEC |
| Ruthy Hebard | Jr. | F | Oregon | Pac-12 |
| Lashann Higgs | Sr. | G | Texas | Big 12 |
| Joyner Holmes | Jr. | G/F | Texas | Big 12 |
| Anriel Howard | Sr. | F | Mississippi State | SEC |
| Sabrina Ionescu | Jr. | G | Oregon | Pac-12 |
| Chloe Jackson | Sr. | G | Baylor | Big 12 |
| Alexis Jennings | Sr. | F | South Carolina | SEC |
| Paris Kea | Sr. | G | North Carolina | ACC |
| Kitija Laksa | Sr. | W | South Florida | AAC |
| Kennedy Leonard | Sr. | G | Colorado | Pac-12 |
| Marina Mabrey | Sr. | G | Notre Dame | ACC |
| Tiana Mangakahia | Jr. | G | Syracuse | ACC |
| Tynice Martin | Jr. | G | West Virginia | Big 12 |
| Teaira McCowan | Sr. | C | Mississippi State | SEC |
| Beatrice Mompremier | Jr. | F | Miami | ACC |
| Mariya Moore | Sr. | G | USC | Pac-12 |
| Maci Morris | Sr. | G | Kentucky | SEC |
| Leaonna Odom | Jr. | F | Duke | ACC |
| Arike Ogunbowale | Sr. | G | Notre Dame | ACC |
| Teniya Page | Sr. | G | Penn State | Big Ten |
| Caliya Robinson | Sr. | F | Georgia | SEC |
| Satou Sabally | So. | F | Oregon | Pac-12 |
| Katie Lou Samuelson | Sr. | G/F | UConn | AAC |
| Jessica Shepard | Sr. | F | Notre Dame | ACC |
| Destiny Slocum | So. | G | Oregon State | Pac-12 |
| Alanna Smith | Sr. | F | Stanford | Pac-12 |
| Hallie Thome | Sr. | C | Michigan | Big Ten |
| Brianna Turner | Sr. | F | Notre Dame | ACC |
| Evina Westbrook | So. | G | Tennessee | SEC |
| Kiana Williams | So. | G | Stanford | Pac-12 |
| Jackie Young | Jr. | G | Notre Dame | ACC |
Two Naismith High School Trophy winners, Katie Lou Samuelson (2015) and Jackie Young (2016), made the list in hopes of winning the collegiate honor. Players who did not make the Watch List are still eligible to be selected for the midseason 30 list.
ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
Founded during the 1956-57 season, the Atlanta Tipoff Club is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club administers the Naismith Awards, the most prestigious national honors in all of college and high school basketball. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, the family of Naismith Awards annually recognizes the top men’s and women’s college and high school basketball players and coaches. Other Naismith Awards are presented to the men’s and women’s college basketball defensive players of the year, as well as lifetime achievement awards to basketball officials and outstanding contributors to the game. UCLA’s Lew Alcindor received the first Citizen Naismith Trophy in 1969, while the late Anne Donovan (Old Dominion) was the inaugural women’s recipient in 1983. Corporate partners of the Naismith Awards include the Citizen Watch Company, Werner Ladder and Bona.
ABOUT CITIZEN
Citizen, a pioneer in watchmaking and innovative technology since 1918, promotes excellence and creativity with a deep-rooted respect for craftsmanship. Citizen advocates “Better Starts Now,” searching for and accomplishing goals that are cause driven. In this respect, Citizen aligns with organizations and personalities that reflect the values of the brand including the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative, Naismith Awards, National Merit Scholarship, and Good360.
For over 40 years, Citizen’s Eco-Drive technology has served as the prime example of how the brand is dedicated to making the world and its environment a better place. A simple yet revolutionary concept, Eco-Drive harnesses the power of light from any natural or artificial light source and converts it into energy, eliminating the need for any battery replacement.
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Media Contact:
Traci Messier
Jackson Spalding for the Atlanta Tipoff Club
404-214-3596