Competition Narrows to 10 Players Competing for the 2018 Citizen Naismith Trophy for Women’s College Player of the Year
ATLANTA (February 26, 2018) – The Atlanta Tipoff Club released today the 10 semifinalists for the Citizen Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year honor. From this list, the Naismith Awards master voting academy will identify the four national finalists, to be announced on March 16. Fans will then be able to vote for their favorite player by visiting naismithtrophy.com/vote between March 19-30 to cast their ballot. The fan component counts for five percent of the overall final vote, and the winner of the Citizen Naismith Trophy for Women’s Player of the Year will be revealed on March 31.
“These 10 women represent the most outstanding players at the college level,” said Eric Oberman, executive director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “As many of them lead their teams into the postseason, we are excited to see them compete for the Citizen Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year honor, and we look forward to welcoming one of them to the Naismith family.”
“We are thrilled to support these 10 women who have accomplished so much this season, both on and off the court,” said Eric Horowitz, managing director U.S. and travel retail, Citizen Watch Company of America, Inc. “These players are the best of the best, and we look forward to seeing who will be honored as the Citizen Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year.”
| NAME | CLASS | POSITION | SCHOOL | CONFERENCE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalani Brown | Jr. | C | Baylor | Big 12 |
| Jordin Canada | Sr. | G | UCLA | Pac-12 |
| Asia Durr | Jr. | G | Louisville | ACC |
| Sabrina Ionescu | So. | G | Oregon | Pac-12 |
| Kelsey Mitchell | Sr. | G | Ohio State | Big Ten |
| Arike Ogunbowale | Jr. | G | Notre Dame | ACC |
| Katie Lou Samuelson | Jr. | G/F | UCONN | AAC |
| Victoria Vivians | Sr. | G | Mississippi State | SEC |
| Gabby Williams | Sr. | F | UCONN | AAC |
| A'ja Wilson | Sr. | F | South Carolina | SEC |
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