Stewart, KML Named 2014-15 ‘Wade Watch’ Candidates

From UConn and the WBCA:

ATLANTA – The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) today announced the 2014-15 “Wade Watch” list of candidates for the prestigious award. Two University of Connecticut women’s basketball standouts, Breanna Stewart (Syracuse, N.Y.) and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) were named to the list.

Now in its 38th year, The Wade Trophy is named in honor of the late, legendary Delta State University coach, Lily Margaret Wade. During her six seasons as head coach, Wade won three consecutive national championships with the Lady Statesmen and recorded a career record of 157-23.

Regarded as “The Heisman of Women’s Basketball,” The Wade Trophy is presented annually to the WBCA NCAA Division I Player of the Year by SHAPE America – the Society of Health and Physical Educators and the WBCA. The 25-member list is made up of top NCAA Division I student-athletes who best embody the spirit of Lily Margaret Wade according to the following criteria: game and season statistics, leadership, character, effect on their team and overall playing ability.

Stewart, who is scoring at a 21.0 points per game clip this season, averaged 19.4 points and 2.8 blocks per game in 2013-14. She recorded double-digit points in 38 of UConn’s 40 games on her way to being selected as the 2013-14 National Player of the Year by the Associated Press, the Atlanta Tip-Off Club (Naismith Trophy), the United States Basketball Writers Association and the Honda Sports Award.

Mosqueda-Lewis is competing in her final season in a UConn uniform after helping the Huskies capture their second consecutive national title in 2013-14. Limited by injury, the forward earned 26 starts and notched 19 double-figure scoring games. She posted the program’s third-ever triple-double in the Huskies’ NCAA Second Round victory over Saint Joseph’s on March 25. The three-point sharpshooter saved her best for the postseason, earning a spot on the American Athletic Conference All-Tournament Team after posting 14.7 points and shooting 47.4 from beyond the arc. In addition, Mosqueda-Lewis was tabbed as the Lincoln Regional Most Outstanding Player after averaging 17.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 51.0 percent in the Huskies first four NCAA Tournament victories.

On Monday, both players were named to the Wooden Award Preseason Top-30 List.

Here is the list of candidates for the 2015 Wade Trophy in alphabetical order:

photo credit: ian bethune