March 19, 2013

Ogwumike National Player of the Year Infographic

STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford forward Chiney Ogwumike was one of four Region 8 nominees for the WBCA Coaches All-America Team, the WBCA announced Tuesday.

Ogwumike was joined on the list of 52 nominees by fellow Region 8 players Gennifer Brandon and Layshia Clarendon from California and Chucky Jeffery from Colorado. The 10-player All-America Team will be announced during Final Four Weekend from April 6-9 in New Orleans.

The junior from Cypress, Texas is on pace to earn her second straight spot on the All-America Team, being the only player in the nation to rank in the NCAA's top six in scoring (22.4 ppg - sixth), rebounding (13.1 rpg - fourth), field-goal percentage (57.4 - fourth) and double-doubles (26 - t-first).

Ogwumike's play this season has been instrumental in Stanford's 31-2 record and the Cardinal earning the No. 1 seed in the Spokane Regional when the NCAA Tournament field was announced Monday. The Cardinal, which earned a share of its 13th straight Pac-12 regular-season crown and its seventh straight Pac-12 Tournament title this year, hosts No. 16 seed Tulsa Sunday, March 24 at 2:20 p.m. PT in first-round action.

Ogwumike's dominant season, one which has put her amongst the top candidates for national player of the year honors, has featured her being named Pac-12 Player of the Year and earning her second straight Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year award. She also became the first player to capture the Pac-12 Triple Crown (leading the conference in scoring, rebounding and field-goal percentage at the end of the regular season).

A two-time National Player of the Week (Nov. 19, Jan. 28) and six-time Pac-12 Player of the Week this year, Ogwumike has been a key part of Stanford's 10-2 record against Top-25 teams, averaging 20.1 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks while shooting 49.5 percent from the field. On Nov. 16 she scored 18 points with eight rebounds in Stanford's 71-69 win over then-No. 1/1 Baylor in Honolulu, a win which catapulted the Cardinal into the No. 1 spot in the national polls for the first time since March 2005. Stanford would go on to hold the No. 1 spot for six weeks.

Over those 12 games against Top-25 competition, Ogwumike has posted seven double-doubles including eight 20-point performances and 10-rebound efforts apiece.

Her play has also paced the Cardinal to an NCAA-best 20-0 record away from home, a mark that includes another NCAA-best of 15 true road wins (on the opponent's home court). Over those 20 games away from Maples Pavilion, Ogwumike has averaged 22.3 points and 12.6 rebounds while shooting 56.3 percent from the field.