Nov. 18, 2009
ATLANTA – Georgia Tech junior Alex Montgomery has been named to the 2009-10 Naismith Trophy preseason watch list, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today.
“Alex Montgomery is very deserving of this recognition,” head coach MaChelle Joseph said. “She is the ultimate team player and is one of the hardest workers I’ve ever coached. I am excited for her to be back on the court very soon.”
Montgomery, who tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament last March, has yet to play for the Yellow Jackets in 2009-10. A 2009 All-ACC third team honoree, Montgomery led the Jackets in scoring (13.7) and rebounding (6.7) as a sophomore. She only needs 255 points to become just the 23rd player in Georgia Tech history to score 1,000 points in a career.
The watch list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors, which based its criteria on player performances from the previous year and expectations for the 2009-10 college basketball season. The Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T will be awarded at the 2010 NCAA Women’s Final Four in San Antonio, Texas.
In late February, the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors will compile a mid-season team of the Top 30 players in the nation. Then in March, the Naismith Trophy voting academy will vote to narrow the list to the four finalists.
Others to accomplish the dual-level feat of winning both a high school and college Naismith Trophy include Connecticut’s Diana Taurasi (2000 in high school; and both 2003 and 2004 in college), Tennessee’s Tamika Catchings (1997, 1998; 2000), Candace Parker (2003 and 2004; 2008) and Chamique Holdsclaw (1995; 1998 and 1999) and USC’s Lisa Leslie (1990; 1994).
The Naismith Trophy is the most prestigious national award presented annually to college basketball’s player of the year. For more information, visit www.naismithawards.com.
– RamblinWreck.com –
