Aug. 15, 2007

ATLANTA - Oklahoma's Courtney Paris was named to the 2007-08 preseason "Wade Watch" list for the State Farm Wade Trophy Division I Player of the Year, announced the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.

The 25-member list, selected by a committee of leading coaches, journalists and basketball administrators, is comprised of top Division I student-athletes who best embody the spirit of Margaret Wade according to the following criteria: game and season statistics, leadership, character, effect on their team and overall playing ability.

Paris was named to the list for the second time in her career. She was one of 12 to make the cut for 2007's final list.

"I believe the committee did an outstanding job choosing a group of student-athletes that excels both on and off the court," said Jeanne Lenti Ponsetto, Chair of the State Farm Wade Trophy Committee and Athletic Director at DePaul University. "These 25 skilled and talented young women represent the best the college game has to offer. With the level of play increasing year-by-year, we are sure to see yet another season of top-notch, exciting competition."

A total of 17 institutions and seven conferences are represented in this season's installment of the "Wade Watch" list. Maryland, Rutgers and Tennessee each add a trio of student-athletes. Connecticut and Stanford also had multiple players named.

Tennessee's Candice Parker was last year's recipient. The only two-time winners of the Wade Trophy include Louisiana State's Seimone Augustus (2005 and 2006) and Old Dominion's Nancy Lieberman (1979 and 1980).

The State Farm Wade Trophy, now in its 30th year and named after the late, legendary three-time national champion Delta State University coach, Lily Margaret Wade, debuted in 1978 as the first-ever women's national player of the year award in college basketball. This highly prestigious award, regarded as the "Heisman of Women's Basketball", is organized by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), in conjunction with the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS).

The 2008 State Farm Wade Trophy winner will be announced at the WBCA National Convention held in conjunction with the NCAA Women's Final Four in Tampa, Fla., April 5-8, 2008.

2007-08 State Farm Wade Trophy Preseason List
The preseason candidates for the State Fame Wade Trophy are listed in alphabetical order