The Women’s Citizen Naismith Trophy Competition Heats Up with Only 30 Candidates Vying for the Honor of 2018 Women’s Player of the Year
ATLANTA (February 12, 2018) – Today, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced the 30 players in the running for the Citizen Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year honor. From this list, the Naismith Awards Board of Selectors will identify the 10 national semifinalists, to be announced on Feb. 26. Then, four finalists will be revealed on March 14. Fans will be able to support their favorite player by visiting naismithtrophy.com/vote between March 19-30 to cast their ballot, and the fan component counts for 5 percent of the overall final vote. The Citizen Naismith Trophy for Women’s Player of the Year will be announced on March 31.
“It was challenging to narrow down the list of outstanding players to this team of 30,” said Eric Oberman, executive director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “All of these women have shown immense talent, and we look forward to seeing them play in the final weeks of the regular season as they compete for the Citizen Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year honor.”
“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—Better Starts Now,” said Eric Horowitz, managing director U.S. and travel retail, Citizen Watch Company of America, Inc. “These 30 exceptional women have enjoyed tremendous seasons thus far and are deserving to be on this list, with an eye on advancing to the next round.”
| NAME | CLASS | POSITION | SCHOOL | CONFERENCE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kristine Anigwe | Jr. | C/F | California | Pac-12 |
| Ariel Atkins | Sr. | G | Texas | Big 12 |
| Monique Billings | Sr. | F | UCLA | Pac-12 |
| Kalani Brown | Jr. | C | Baylor | Big 12 |
| Lexie Brown | Sr. | G | Duke | ACC |
| Jordin Canada | Sr. | G | UCLA | Pac-12 |
| Chennedy Carter | Fr. | G | Texas A&M | SEC |
| Kaila Charles | So. | G | Maryland | Big Ten |
| Napheesa Collier | Jr. | F | UConn | AAC |
| Sophie Cunningham | Jr. | G | Missouri | SEC |
| Asia Durr | Jr. | G | Louisville | ACC |
| Katelynn Flaherty | Sr. | G | Michigan | Big Ten |
| Marie Gulich | Sr. | C | Oregon State | Pac-12 |
| Megan Gustafson | Jr. | F | Iowa | Big Ten |
| Ruthy Hebard | So. | F | Oregon | Pac-12 |
| Myisha Hines-Allen | Sr. | F | Louisville | ACC |
| Sabrina Ionescu | So. | G | Oregon | Pac-12 |
| Brooke McCarty | Sr. | G | Texas | Big 12 |
| Teaira McCowan | Jr. | C | Mississippi State | SEC |
| Brittany McPhee | Sr. | G | Stanford | Pac-12 |
| Kelsey Mitchell | Sr. | G | Ohio State | Big Ten |
| Jaime Nared | Sr. | G | Tennessee | SEC |
| Kia Nurse | Sr. | G | UConn | AAC |
| Arike Ogunbowale | Jr. | G | Notre Dame | ACC |
| Mercedes Russell | Sr. | C | Tennessee | SEC |
| Katie Lou Samuelson | Jr. | G/F | UConn | AAC |
| Shakayla Thomas | Sr. | F | Florida State | ACC |
| Victoria Vivians | Sr. | G | Mississippi State | SEC |
| Gabby Williams | Sr. | F | UConn | AAC |
| A’ja Wilson | Sr. | F | South Carolina | SEC |
With the competition narrowing down to only 30 players, six conferences across the country are represented. The Pac-12 conference and SEC lead the late season team with seven players each. UConn, which has won more Citizen Naismith Trophies (10) than any other school, continues to lead the competition with four players listed, followed by Louisville, Mississippi State, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and UCLA with two candidates apiece.
ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
Celebrating 50 Years of the Citizen Naismith Trophy
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, which have become the most prestigious national honors in all of college basketball. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, the Naismith Trophy recognizes the top Men’s and Women’s College Basketball Players of the Year. Other Naismith Awards are presented to the Men’s and Women’s College Basketball Coaches of the Year, Boys’ and Girls’ High School Basketball Players and Coaches of the Year, Basketball Officials and Outstanding Contributors to the game. Celebrating its 50th year by honoring past winners, the Citizen Naismith Trophy was first presented to UCLA’s Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) in 1969. Old Dominion’s Anne Donovan won the inaugural Women’s Citizen Naismith Trophy in 1983.
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
tmessier@jacksonspalding.com
404-214-3596