ATLANTA – The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) announced that University of Connecticut junior Maya Moore has been named The State Farm Wade Trophy Player of the Year for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. The WBCA presents this award, on behalf of the Wade Coalition, annually to the top player in NCAA Division I.
“It has truly been a pleasure to watch Maya develop over the past few years, and I am thrilled to present Maya Moore with the 2010 State Farm Wade Trophy once again,” said WBCA CEO Beth Bass. “Maya embodies the ideals of the awards namesake, Lily Margaret Wade, and after her tremendous hardwood play this season there is no one more deserving of this honor.”
Moore is only the third player ever to take home the Wade Trophy two times. Moore is a three-time State Farm Coaches’ All-American selection, a three-time AP All-American selection and a two-time BIG EAST Conference Player of the Year. This year, Moore helped lead the Huskies to their 16th BIG EAST Conference title.
Moore became the fastest player in Connecticut history to reach the 2,000-point milestone and the only junior to do so. She currently is fourth on the all-time rebounding list at Connecticut with 940 rebounds and is seventh on the all-time scoring list with 2,111 points. Her dominance on the court has pushed the Huskies to a unanimous No. 1 ranking in the USA TODAY ESPN Top 25 Coaches’ Poll throughout the entire season.
Moore is currently averaging 18.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals a game this season. She holds the Connecticut single-season scoring record of 754 points set during her sophomore campaign. Moore has helped lead her team to 76 straight victories and the NCAA Division I National Championship in 2009. This season Moore’s team returns to the NCAA Final Four to defend their title and try for their second national championship in a row, and seventh overall. She was most recently named the 2010 NCAA Dayton Regional Most Outstanding Player.
Also, Moore was selected as the 2010 BIG EAST Scholar Athlete of the Year maintaining a 3.70 grade-point average as an individualized major student. Moore was recently named the 2010 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American of the Year in women’s basketball and has been chosen to the Academic All-America first team in each of her two eligible seasons.
“Moore has had an incredible year, and State Farm is honored to recognize her as The 2010 State Farm Wade Trophy Player of the Year,” said Pam El, Marketing Vice President for State Farm. “Moore’s dedication and commitment to the game of basketball and her outstanding accomplishments as a student-athlete make her truly deserving of this wonderful award.”
The State Farm Wade Trophy, now in its 33rd year, is named after the late, legendary three-time national champion Delta State University coach, Lily Margaret Wade. This most prestigious award, regarded as “The Heisman of Women’s Basketball,” debuted in 1978 as the first-ever women’s national player of the year award in college basketball.
The first recipient of the Wade Trophy was Carol Blazejowski of Montclair State in 1978. Other Wade Trophy/NCAA Division I Player of the Year recipients include many standouts such as Teresa Weatherspoon (1988), DeLisha Milton-Jones (1997), Candace Parker (2007), Ticha Penicheiro (1998), Sue Bird (2002) and Diana Taurasi (2003). Moore joins Seimone Augustus (2005 and 2006) and Nancy Lieberman (1979 and 1980) as the award’s only two-time recipients.
The Wade Trophy Coalition was established in June of 2000 when the WBCA partnered with The National Association of Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS). For the past ten years the two have worked together to present The State Farm Wade Trophy Player of the Year Award. A committee comprised of coaches, administrators and media from across the United States selects the winner.
Moore will be formally presented her award at the WBCA Awards Luncheon presented by State Farm and Jostens at Noon CT on Tuesday, April 6, at the Marriott Rivercenter Grand Ballroom. This event is part of the WBCA National Convention and is held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women’s Final Four® in San Antonio, Texas.
