March 22, 2013

2013 Naismith Trophy finalists

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STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford forward Chiney Ogwumike was named one of four finalists for the Naismith Women's College Player of the Year Trophy by the Atlanta Tip-Off Club Friday.

Joining Ogwumike on the list of finalists were Delaware's Elena Delle Donne, Notre Dame's Skylar Diggins and Baylor's Brittney Griner. The 2013 Naismith Women's College Player of the Year Trophy will be awarded April 8 in New Orleans, site of the 2013 Final Four.

Fans will have the opportunity to have their voices heard as fan voting begins March 25 and runs through April 6. Fans can cast their votes by calling **VOTE (**8683).

The announcement adds another national player of the year listing to Ogwumike's resumè, as the Cypress, Texas native is on the final ballot for the John R. Wooden Award, the midseason list of the USBWA Anne Meyers Drysdale Award, the Wade Trophy and is a nominee for the WBCA Coaches' All-America Team.

Ogwumike's performance in 2012-13 has been instrumental in Stanford's 31-2 record and the Cardinal earning the No. 1 seed in the Spokane Regional of this year's NCAA Tournament. 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 first-round opponent and No. 16 seed Tulsa Sunday, March 24 at 2:20 p.m. PT.

Entering the NCAA Tournament this weekend Ogwumike is 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 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. Not only is she the first player to earn both awards in a single season but 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.