University of Tennessee Athletics
UT'S CATCHINGS NAMED NAISMITH PLAYER OF THE YEAR
March 13, 2000 | Women's Basketball
Third Straight Year a Lady Vol Has Been Tabbed as the Nation's Best
Tennessee junior Tamika Catchings has been selected as the 2000 Naismith Women's College Basketball Player of the Year, it was announced today by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. Cincinnati senior Kenyon Martin was chosen as the Men's College Player of the Year, while Stanford men's coach Mike Montgomery and Connecticut women's coach Geno Auriemma were picked as the Naismith Coaches of the Year. The winners were determined by a vote of the Naismith National Advisory Board, comprised of a select group of leading basketball coaches, journalists and administrators.
Catchings, a 6-1 junior forward from Duncanville, Texas, has averaged 15.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2.6 steals while shooting 47 % from the field this season. The All-American recently helped the Lady Vols to an unprecedented third straight Southeastern Conference Tournament title. Catchings scored 11 of her 25 points as UT overcame an eight-point deficit to Mississippi State with eight minutes to play to earn the school's 10th SEC post-season crown.
"Tamika Catchings is most deserving of the Naismith Player of the Year Award because she is a blue-collar player who comes to the gym every day ready to work," said Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt. "She is a complete player who takes the right-hand side of the box score as seriously as she looks at her points and rebounds. Tamika sets out every day to be a complete player at the offensive and defensive ends of the basketball court."
This accolade is another addition to an impressive list of honors that the junior has accumulated this year. She has previously been chosen First Team All-SEC and was also selected All-SEC Tourney for the third time in her Lady Vol career. Additionally, she was recently named as a finalist in the Kodak All-American balloting.
Catchings' feat marks the third year in a row that a Lady Vol player has received the prestigious Naismith Award. In 1998 and 1999, Chamique Holdsclaw brought home the hardware.
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