James Named Naismith Trophy Candidate
Nov. 9, 2004
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami’s Tamara James has been named a pre-season candidate for the 2004 Naismith Trophy presented by Cingular Wireless, as announced today by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. The Naismith Trophy is presented annually to the nation’s top collegiate player of the year.
James, a junior forward who hails from Dania, Fla., was tabbed a preseason All-ACC selection earlier this season as voted on by members of the conference media. Last season, she earned All-BIG EAST First Team honors after leading the Hurricanes with 16.6 points per game and became only the 17th player in UM history to score 1,000 career points. During her freshman campaign in 2002-03, James became the only freshman in the history of the BIG EAST Conference to lead the league in scoring, averaging 21.0 points per game.
James was one of 50 candidates nominated by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors, who will narrow the pre-season list 30 in January before voting on the final ballot in March.
James and the Hurricanes will open the 2004-05 season November 19, hosting the Miami Jam, featuring Gardner Webb, UCLA and TCU, at the Convocation Center in Coral Gables.
2004-05 Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year Pre-season Candidates
Player Height Class Position SchoolSeimone Augustus 6'1" Jr. Guard LSUSherrill Baker 5'8" Jr. Guard GeorgiaJacqueline Batteast 6'2" Sr. Forward Notre DameStephanie Blackmon 6'2" Sr. Forward BaylorNikki Blue 5'8" Jr. Guard UCLANatasha Brackett 5'9" Sr. Guard AuburnJamie Carey 5'6" Sr. Guard TexasMonique Currie 6'0" Jr. Guard DukeJessica Deveney 5'9" Sr. Guard Boston CollegeShay Doron 5'9" So. Guard MarylandShyra Ely 6'2" Sr. Forward TennesseeEmily Faurholt 5'11" Jr. Forward IdahoKatie Feenstra 6'8" Sr. Center LibertyKatie Gearlds 6'1" So. Guard PurdueErin Grant 5'8" Jr. Guard Texas TechSandora Irvin 6'3" Sr. Forward TCUDionnah Jackson 5'9" Sr. Guard OklahomaTiffany Jackson 6'3" So. Forward TexasTamara James 5'10" Jr. Forward MiamiTemeka Johnson 5'3" Sr. Guard LSUAlexis Kendrick 5'7" Jr. Guard GeorgiaLaurie Koehn 5'8" Sr. Guard Kansas StateCathrine Kraayeveld 6'4" Sr. Forward OregonIvory Latta 5'6" So. Guard North CarolinaCamille Little 6'1" So. Guard/Forward North CarolinaSancho Lyttle 6'4" Sr. Center/Forward HoustonKristen Mann 6'2" Sr. Forward UC-Santa BarbaraJanel McCarville 6'2" Sr. Forward MinnesotaJessica Moore 6'3" Sr. Center/Forward ConnecticutLoree Moore 5'9" Sr. Guard TennesseeBernice Mosby 6'1" Jr. Forward FloridaChelsea Newton 5'11" Sr. Guard RutgersShawntinice Polk 6'5" Jr. Center ArizonaCappie Pondexter 5'9" Sr. Guard RutgersNoelle Quinn 6'0" So. Guard UCLAKathrin Ress 6'4" So. Forward Boston CollegeAlesha Robertson 6'0" So. Forward Texas TechHeather Schreiber 6'2" Sr. Forward TexasKhara Smith 6'2" Jr. Forward DePaulKim Smith 6'1" So. Forward UtahAnn Strother 6'2" Jr. Guard ConnecticutKelley Suminski 5'9" Sr. Guard StanfordCarla Thomas 6'3" So. Forward VanderbiltBarbara Turner 6'0" Jr. Guard/Forward ConnecticutKendra Wecker 5'11" Sr. Forward Kansas StateDee-Dee Wheeler 5'6" Sr. Guard ArizonaTan White 5'8" Sr. Guard Mississippi StateTanisha Wright 5'11" Sr. Guard Penn StateSophia Young 6'1" Jr. Forward BaylorShanna Zolman 5'10" Jr. Guard Tennessee
