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Black Named One Of 31 Midseason Candidates For The Naismith Award
1/29/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
DURHAM, N.C. ? Duke University junior Chante Black has been named one of the 31 candidates vying for the 2008 Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced on Tuesday.
The women's list, which includes 31 candidates because of a tie, was voted on by the Atlanta Tipoff Club's Board of Selectors, comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country. The board based its criteria on player performances this season, and the list was narrowed down from the pre-season list of 50 candidates who were announced at the beginning of the season.
Black, a native of Winston-Salem, N.C., has come on strong this season after redshirting last year due to injuries. The 6-5 center is averaging 13.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 1.6 assists and 1.3 steals, while starting all 20 contests. Black has developed into one of the top post players in the women's game today and is the only Duke player to have started all 20 games for the ninth-ranked Blue Devils.
In the latest Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) stats, Black ranks 10th in rebounds (7.4), 16th in scoring (13.9), seventh in field goal percentage (53.6), 10th in free throw percentage (76.1), third in blocked shots (2.5) and 10th in defensive rebounds (4.6). She has collected a team-best six double-doubles on the year, while also ranking 17th nationally in blocked shots and 46th in field goal percentage.
Last year, Duke's Lindsey Harding was named winner of the Naismith Award marking the first time in school history a Blue Devils has won the award.
Again this year AT&T will give fans an unprecedented voice in selecting the winner. Fan voting, through the power and ease of text messaging, will account for 25 percent of the selection process. This program sets the standard in college athletics for integrating fans into the voting process and providing them with more input than with any other major collegiate sports award.
Fans will be eligible to cast their vote for the winner until April 5. AT&T is making the voting open to other wireless carriers allowing even more fans to participate. Other wireless carriers must opt-in for their subscribers to participate. The Men's Naismith Trophy winner will be announced April 7 at the 2008 NCAA Final Four in Tampa.
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2008 Naismith Women's Mid-Season Candidates
Last First Class Position School
Allen, Charel, Senior, Guard, Notre Dame
Allison, Rachel, Junior, Forward, Baylor
Anderson, Jolene, Senior, Guard, Wisconsin
Appel, Jayne, Sophomore, Forward/Center, Stanford
Black, Chante, Junior, Center, Duke
Bonner, DeWanna, Junior, Guard, Auburn
Charles, Tina, Sophomore, Center, Connecticut
DeHaan, Allyssa, Sophomore, Center, Michigan State
Fowles, Sylvia, Senior, Center, LSU
Harper, Laura, Senior, Forward/Center, Maryland
Holt, Amber, Senior, Forward, Middle Tennessee State
Humphrey, Tasha, Senior, Forward, Georgia
Kelly, Crystal, Senior, Forward, Western Kentucky
Langhorne, Crystal, Senior, Forward/Center, Maryland
Larkins, Erlana, Senior, Forward, North Carolina
Lavender, Jantel, Freshman, Center, Ohio State
McCoughtry, Angel, Junior, Forward, Louisville
McFarland, Jackie, Senior, Forward, Colorado
Moore, Maya, Freshman, Forward, Connecticut
Paris, Courtney, Junior, Center, Oklahoma
Parker, Candace, Junior, Guard/Forward, Tennessee
Prince, Epiphanny, Sophomore, Guard, Rutgers
Riley, Andrea, Sophomore, Guard, Oklahoma State
Quigley, Allie, Senior, Guard, DePaul
Starks, Takia, Junior, Guard, Texas A&M
Toliver, Kristi, Junior, Guard, Maryland
Walker, Ashley, Junior, Forward/Center, California
Walker, Marcedes, Senior, Center, Pittsburgh
Whittington, Khadijah, Senior, Forward, North Carolina State
Wiggins, Candice, Senior, Guard, Stanford
Zellous, Shavonte, Junior, Guard, Pittsburgh
Players Mentioned
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Tuesday, March 31
Tuesday, March 31
Tuesday, March 31
