Senior center Sylvia Fowles will once again battle Tennessee junior forward Candace Parker, but this time the title of the nation’s best player is up for grabs.
Fowles and Parker are among four finalists for the 2008 Naismith Trophy, which honors the top female collegiate basketball player. Stanford senior guard Candace Wiggins and Oklahoma junior center Courtney Paris round out the group of finalists, according to Monday’s announcement from the Atlanta Tipoff Club.
Fowles has already taken top honors within the Southeastern Conference.
The 12 SEC head coaches recently voted Fowles Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. Parker won SEC Player of the Year honors in 2007.
LSU coach Van Chancellor said he thinks Fowles and Parker are both deserving of the honor.
“They’re the two favorites,” Chancellor said. “If I’ve ever seen an award that should be a co-award, it’s this one. It would be great if they could share it.”
Fowles averages 17.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, while Parker leads the Lady Vols with 20.6 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.
“I don’t know of another player in the country that affects the game on both sides of the court like Sylvia does,” said LSU associate head coach Bob Starkey.
Former LSU guard Seimone Augustus is the only Lady Tiger to have won the award, winning in 2005 and 2006.
“Seimone was mesmerizing on the offensive end,” Starkey said. “She was so smooth in the way she did things. Sylvia is more of a power player. She has to work to get her touches.”
The winner will be announced April 7 in Tampa, Fla. The Atlanta Tipoff Club’s national academy, comprised of journalists, coaches and administrators, will vote for the winner.
Fans can also let their voices be heard by texting VOTE to “87654” to receive the ballot. Voting ends April 5, and fans’ votes will account for 25 percent of the vote.
—-Contact Amy Brittain at [email protected]