ST. LOUIS (USBWA) The U.S. Basketball Writers Association announced today its 2007-08 women's postseason honors. For the second straight season, Tennessee's Candace Parker is the association's National Player of the Year, while Connecticut's Geno Auriemma is the USBWA Coach of the Year for the third time in his career. Connecticut's Maya Moore is the USBWA's Freshman of the Year.
Parker, one of five repeat All-Americans and four three-time selections on this year's team, is the third player to win back-to-back USBWA Player of the Year honors, joining Virginia's Dawn Staley (1991-92) and Tennessee's Chamique Holdsclaw (1998 and '99). It also marks the fifth time a Tennessee player has been named the player of the year by the USBWA. Tamika Catchings earned the award in 2000.
Maryland's Crystal Langhorne, Oklahoma's Courtney Paris and Stanford's Candice Wiggins each also repeated as All-America selections and joined Parker as three-time USBWA All-Americans. LSU's Sylvia Fowles earned her second straight All-America selection as well. Wiggins (2005) and Paris (2006) are each past winners of the association's freshman of the year award.
Other All-America selections include Amber Holt of Middle Tennessee, Erlana Larkins of North Carolina, Angel McCoughtry of Louisville, Maya Moore of Connecticut and Kristi Tolliver or Maryland. Those five were all first time selections. Tolliver and Langhorne of Maryland become the first teammates to earn All-America honors since 2003 (Nicole Ohlde and Kendra Wecker of Kansas State).
Auriemma has been named the USBWA Coach of the Year in 1995 and 2003. No other coach has won it more than once since the award was created in 1990. Moore, the Freshman of the Year, follows Tina Charles of the Huskies, giving UConn back-to-back winners of that honor.
Following is the complete list of 2007-08 USBWA women's honors:
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association, formed in 1956, has named a women's All-America team since the 1996-97 season. The association has also named a national player of the year since 1987-88 and a national coach of the year since 1989-90. In 2002-03, the USBWA initiated an award for the nation's top freshman. For more information about the USBWA and its annual awards, contact Executive Director Joe Mitch in the Missouri Valley Conference office at 314-421-0339.
Related link:
All-Time USBWA women's honors