BIG EAST AND ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCES HEADLINE NAISMITH TROPHY WOMEN’S PRESEASON WATCH LIST

Maryland Leads With Four Candidates Followed by Connecticut and Rutgers With Three Each

ATLANTA (Dec. 18, 2007) – The Big East and Atlantic Coast conferences have combined to place 17 players on the 2007-08 Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T women’s preseason candidate watch list, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today. Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris and Tennessee’s Candace Parker, finalists from a year ago and past winners of the Naismith National High School Player of the Year, headline the list.

Led by Connecticut and Rutgers, with three apiece, the Big East Conference is represented by 10 players. Seniors Laura Harper and Crystal Langhorne, and juniors Marissa Coleman and Kristi Toliver helped Maryland lead the Atlantic Coast Conference, which placed seven candidates overall.

Coming off an appearance in the Women’s 2007 NCAA Championship game, Rutgers is represented by Seniors Matee Ajavon and Essence Carson, along with junior Kia Vaughn. Connecticut, which has claimed four Naismith trophies in its storied history, is represented by Senior Charde Houston, junior Renee Montgomery and sophomore Tina Charles. Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh each had one player on the list.

The Naismith Trophy is the most prestigious national award presented annually to college basketball’s players of the year. The watch list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors, which based its preseason criteria on player performances from last season and expectations for the 2007-08 campaign. There are 27 seniors, 18 juniors and five sophomores on the list, which does not include incoming freshmen, who will be considered in the first ballot in January, 2008.

“While the major conferences are well-represented, we are also impressed by the players from mid-majors,” said Gary Stokan, Atlanta Tipoff Club president. “Its proof positive that the talent level of Women’s Basketball is as strong as it’s ever been, and selecting the Naismith winner this year will be a challenge.”

AT&T will continue to set the standard in allowing fans to participate in determining this year’s winner. Through the power and ease of text messaging, fan voting will account for an unprecedented 25% of the final results – more than any other national college basketball award.

In January, the Naismith Trophy voting academy, comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country, will narrow its preseason list to the top 30 players in the nation. Those players will be eligible for the final ballot in March. In April, the Naismith Trophy winner will be recognized at the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Tampa, Fla.

Last year’s Naismith Trophy recipient was Duke University guard Lindsey Harding, who became the first Blue Devil woman to win the award. The last Big East player to claim the trophy was Connecticut’s Diana Taurasi, who won it in back-to-back years (2003 and 2004). Other notable winners include Cheryl Miller (USC), Dawn Staley (Virginia) and Chamique Holdsclaw (Tennessee).

The pre-season women’s candidates for the Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T, listed in alphabetical order, are as follows:

Last	First	Class	Position	School
Ajavon	Matee	Sr.	Guard	Rutgers
Allen	Charel	Sr.	Guard	Notre Dame
Anderson	Jolene	Sr.	Guard	Wisconsin
Anosike	Nicky	Sr.	Center	Tennessee
Appel	Jayne	So.	Forward/Center	Stanford
Balerio	Tahnee	Sr.	Guard	Missouri State
Beck	Kimberly	Sr.	Guard	George Washington
Cann	Jernisha	Jr.	Forward	IUPUI
Carson	Essence	Sr.	Guard/Forward	Rutgers
Charles	Tina	So.	Center	Connecticut
Cirone	Kristi	Jr.	Guard	Illinois State
Coleman	Marissa	Jr.	Guard/Forward	Maryland
Cowher	Meagan	Sr.	Forward	Princeton
Dahir	Brandy	Sr.	Forward	Drake
DeHaan	Allyssa	So.	Center	Michigan State
Edwards	Traci	Jr.	Center	Wis.-Milwaukee
Ellis	Krystal	Jr.	Guard	Marquette
Fowles	Sylvia	Sr.	Center	Louisiana State
Hampton	Devanei	Jr.	Forward/Center	California
Harper	Laura	Sr.	Forward/Center	Maryland
Harris	Amber	So.	Forward	Xavier
Hightower	Carlene	Sr.	Guard/Forward	La Salle
Hornbuckle	Alexis	Sr.	Guard	Tennessee
Houston	Charde	Sr.	Forward	Connecticut
Humphrey	Tasha	Sr.	Forward	Georgia
Jackson	Tye	Sr.	Guard	Houston
Kahle	Kelsey	Jr.	Guard/Forward	Portland State
Kelly	Crystal	Sr.	Forward	Western Kentucky
Langhorne	Crystal	Sr.	Forward/Center	Maryland
Larkins	Erlana	Sr.	Forward	North Carolina
McCoughtry	Angel	Jr.	Forward	Louisville
McFarland	Jackie	Sr.	Forward	Colorado
Montgomery	Renee	Jr.	Guard	Connecticut
Morales	Mandy	Jr.	Guard	Montana
Murphy	Marlena	Sr.	Forward	Campbell
Neal	Sherell	Sr.	Forward	New Mexico State
Packer	Marscilla	Sr.	Guard	Ohio State
Paris	Courtney	Jr.	Center	Oklahoma
Parker	Candace	Jr.	Guard/Forward/Center	Tennessee
Parker	Rebekah	Sr.	Guard/Forward	Evansville
Smith	Tanya	Sr.	Forward	Hawaii
Starks	Takia	Jr.	Guard	Texas A&M
Thomas	Toni	Jr.	Forward	Cal. State Fullerton
Toliver	Kristi	Jr.	Guard	Maryland
Vaughn	Kia	Jr.	Center	Rutgers
Walker	Ashley	Jr.	Forward/Center	California
Walker	Marcedes	Sr.	Center	Pittsburgh
Waner	Abby	Jr.	Guard	Duke
Wiggins	Candice	Sr.	Guard	Stanford
Wright	Monica	So.	Guard	Virginia

ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
The Atlanta Tipoff Club, an Atlanta Sports Council property, is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club has presented the Naismith Trophy since UCLA’s Lew Alcindor first won the award in 1969. Old Dominion’s Anne Donovan won the inaugural Women’s Naismith Trophy in 1983.

The Naismith Award has become an emblem of excellence for the game, recognizing the Men’s and Women’s College Basketball Player of the Year, Men’s and Women’s College Basketball Coach of the Year, as well as awards for outstanding achievement in high school basketball, officiating, and overall contribution to the game.

ABOUT AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world's most advanced IP-based business communications services and the nation's leading wireless, high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of its three-screen integration strategy, AT&T is expanding its TV entertainment offerings. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at www.att.com.

© 2007 Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies.


###

Contact:
Eric Oberman
Atlanta Tipoff Club
(404) 586-8506
eoberman@macoc.com