Players also Selected as First Team All-Americans
ATLANTA (February 14, 2023) – The Atlanta Tipoff Club today announced the five finalists for the Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Girls Player of the Year Trophy and the Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Girls Coach of the Year honors. Mikaylah Williams, a senior from Parkway High School and a verbal commit to nearby LSU, returns as a finalist for the second consecutive year. On the coaching side, Saint John Vianney High School (NJ) head coach Dawn Karpell is the only repeat finalist for the Girls Coach of the Year honor. Karpell lead her team to a perfect 26-0 regular season record and a spot in the 2023 Shore Conference Tournament semifinals on the way to achieving her 500th career win after a quarterfinal victory. The winner of the Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Girls Coach of the Year award will be announced Thursday, March 2, followed by the Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Girls Trophy winner on Friday, March 3.
“These award finalists represent the elite after a long and highly competitive season,” said Eric Oberman, executive director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “Our voters will be challenged to select winners from among their tremendously talented and deserving finalists.”
“Jersey Mike’s takes great pride in honoring the top high school girls players and coaches for their remarkable efforts this season,” said Jeff Hemschoot, vice president of marketing, Jersey Mike’s. “We applaud the achievements of these finalists and wish them a strong finish to their seasons as they head into playoff basketball.”
2023 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy High School Girls Player Of The Year Finalists
| FULL NAME | CLASS | POS | HOMETOWN | SCHOOL | COMMITTED TO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kamorea Arnold | Senior | PG | Germantown, WI | Germantown High School | UConn |
| Zoe Brooks | Senior | G | Plainfield, NJ | Saint John Vianney High School | NC State |
| Jadyn Donovan | Senior | G | Washington, DC | Sidwell Friends School | Duke |
| Judea "JuJu" Watkins | Senior | G | Los Angeles, CA | Sierra Canyon High School | USC |
| Mikaylah Williams | Senior | G | Bossier City, LA | Parkway High School | LSU |
2023 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy High School Girls Coach Of The Year Finalists
| FULL NAME | SCHOOL | CITY, STATE |
|---|---|---|
| Special Jennings | Montverde Academy | Montverde, FL |
| Dawn Karpell | Saint John Vianney High School | Holmdel, NJ |
| Alicia Komaki | Sierra Canyon High School | Chatsworth, CA |
| Christina Raiti | Long Island Lutheran High School | Brookville, NY |
| Steve Reynolds | South Bend Washington High School | South Bend, IN |
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 most outstanding 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 Jersey Mike’s 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 Jersey Mike’s and Werner Ladder.
ABOUT JERSEY MIKE’S SUBS
Jersey Mike’s Subs, with more than 2,300 locations open and under development nationwide, serves authentic fresh sliced/fresh grilled subs on in-store freshly baked bread — the same recipe it started with in 1956. Passion for giving in Jersey Mike’s local communities is reflective in its mission statement “Giving…making a difference in someone’s life.” For more information, please visit jerseymikes.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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Media Contact:
Traci Messier
Jackson Spalding for the Atlanta Tipoff Club
706-816-6022