NCAA Announces Finalists for Women of the Year

AP Photo: A.J. Olmscheid

Anosike Finalist for Woman of the Year

October 10, 2008

Former Lady Vol, Nicky Anosike (Minnesota Lynx) is one of nine finalists for the 2008 NCAA Woman of the Year award.  The Woman of the Year honor is awarded to student-athletes who have demonstrated excellence in academics, athletics, leadership and community service.

Anosike is the one of only four Lady Vols in history to tally 600+ points, 500+ rebounds, 100+ blocks, 100+ steals and 125+ assists over her career.  She was named NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team (2007), SEC All-Academic Team (2007, 2006),  All-SEC Freshman Team (2005), and SEC All-Academic Freshman Team (2005). 

When she wasn’t dominating the hardwood, Anosike immersed herself the in community service. She was highly involved in Campus Student Athlete Advisory Committee, the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, and the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and Lady Vol Fund Run.  She also served as team captain in her final season, helping to lead UT to an NCAA Championship.

In her personal statement to the NCAA, Anosike expressed her interpretation of leadership, “...Some of our most effective leaders are not in the spotlight but lead by example through hard work and dedication. This assertion reflects who I am and what I hope to become.”

Anosike triple majored in political science, legal studies, and sociology at UT and was a second-team ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American.  She also was awarded the Boyd McWhorter Postgraduate Scholarship in 2008. 

*The 2008 Woman of the Year will be announced at an awards dinner on October 19, 2008.  An hour-long broadcast of the event will air on ESPN2 December 5 at 4:30 p.m.

Whalen Delivers in 2008

9 October, 2008

Following the 2008 WNBA regular season, Lindsay Whalen of The Connecticut Sun was named a 2008 WNBA Peak Performer along with two other high-profile WNBA standouts.  “Peak Performers” are awarded annually for leading the league in scoring, rebounding and assists during the regular season.  Whalen set Connecticut’s all-time franchise assist record in 2008 with 166 on the season.  Whalen averaged 14.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game and is the second player in league history to average 10+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists for a season. 

                                    Ron Hoskins/NBAE/Getty Images

Sutton-Brown Leads Fever in Regular Season Stretch

September 16, 2008

Eight year veteran and two-time WNBA All-Star, Tammy Sutton-Brown, received her first career Player of the Week award in the Indiana Fever’s final five-game regular season stretch. Tammy averaged 19 points, 6.8 rebounds on 58.3% precision from the field.  Her efforts were suitably rewarded as Fever have clinched a playoff spot, winning the last three of four games.  In all four of those contests, Sutton-Brown scored in double figures.  

In the Fever’s final regular season game, Sutton-Brown posted 26 points to lead her team over the WNBA defending champion, the Phoenix Mercury, led by her Fenerbahçe (Turkey) teammate, Cappie Pondexter who tallied 23 points.  Sutton Brown surpassed her career high for the second time this season and recorded her fifth double-double in the Fever’s only loss this week to the Liberty.   

Tammy wraps up this season ranked third in the league in blocks per game (1.7).  Her three blocks against New York brought her season total to 57, a franchise record for blocks in a single season.  When asked about the record, Sutton-Brown emphasized her commitment to teamwork, “I think anytime you hold a record for something it means you are doing something right. I just try to go out every game and do what I need to help my team win. So if my teammate gets beat on defense, for instance, I take pride in being there to help.”

Read more Q&A with Tammy here