ATLANTA — LSU senior guard Marie Ferdinand has been named one of 15 finalists for the Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year Award, it was announced on Tuesday.
Ferdinand is one of eight players from the Southeastern Conference nominated for the award. Tennessee and Georgia were each represented by two players as Tamika Catchings and Michelle Snow from the Lady Vols and twins Kelly and Coco Miller from the Lady Dogs are finalists.
Chantelle Anderson of Vanderbilt, Brandi McCain of Florida and LaToya Thomas of Mississippi State are also finalists from the conference.
Ferdinand is currently leading LSU in scoring, steals and minutes played while ranking second in rebounds and assists. She ranks in the top 10 in Lady Tigers history in points, steals and assists.
This season, she has scored in double-figures in every game and is responsible for nearly 30 percent of LSU’s offense.
The Naismith Board of Selectors, which includes some of the country’s leading basketball coaches, journalists and administrators, began the selection process earlier this year and have reduced the number of finalists by balloting to the top 15 male and female players they felt most deserving of the award.
The winners of the Naismith Awards, the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball, will be honored in Atlanta on April 7, 2001 at the Cobb Galleria Centre.
Women’s Finalists
Svetlana Abrosimova, Connecticut
Chantelle Anderson, Vanderbilt
Sue Bird, Connecticut
Tamika Catchings, Tennessee
Katie Douglas, Purdue
Marie Ferdinand, LSU
Brandi McCain, Florida
Coco Miller, Georgia
Kelly Miller, Georgia
Shea Ralph, Connecticut
Ruth Riley, Notre Dame
Georgia Schweitzer, Duke
Michelle Snow, Tennessee
Jackie Stiles, Southwest Missouri State
LaToya Thomas, Mississippi State