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Oct. 22, 2002
ATLANTA, Ga. – Virginia’s Brandi Teamer and Travis Watson are pre-season candidates for the 2002-2003 Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year Awards, Jackie Bradford, President of the Atlanta Tipoff Club, announced on Tuesday.
The Naismith Awards program, now in its 35th year, honors the outstanding college basketball players in the United States. The awards program was founded by the Atlanta Tipoff Club, an organization dedicated to recognizing the achievements of student-athletes in basketball.
The candidates were selected by a vote of the Board of Selectors comprised of leading basketball coaches, journalists and basketball analysts. Members of the board were asked to name top male and female players who are most likely to be in contention for the award.
“Both the men’s and women’s fields, from top to bottom, are extremely talented,” said Bradford. “The race for the Naismith Award will once again be very competitive and exciting.”
2002-03 Pre-Season Naismith Candidates
Male Candidates
Mario Austin, Mississippi State
Troy Bell, Boston College
Steve Blake, Maryland
Keith Bogans, Kentucky
Matt Bonner, Florida
Nick Collison, Kansas
Brian Cook, Illinois
Erwin Dudley, Alabama
Chris Duhon, Duke
Andre Emmett, Texas Tech
T.J. Ford, Texas
Reece Gaines, Louisville
Jason Gardner, Arizona
Jarvis Hayes, Georgia
Kirk Hinrich, Kansas
Josh Howard, Wake Forest
Jason Kapono, UCLA
Brandin Knight, Pittsburgh
Chris Marcus, Western Kentucky
Brett Nelson, Florida
Hollis Price, Oklahoma
Darius Rice, Miami (Fla.)
Rick Rickert, Minnesota
Luke Ridnour, Oregon
Mike Sweetney, Georgetown
Chris Thomas, Notre Dame
Dwayne Wade, Marquette
Luke Walton, Arizona
Travis Watson, Virginia
David West, Xavier
Female Candidates
Chantelle Anderson, Vanderbilt
Jacqueline Batteast, Notre Dame
Alana Beard, Duke
Kara Braxton, Georgia
Coretta Brown, North Carolina
Shameka Christon, Arkansas
Crissy Floyd, Clemson
Catrina Frierson, Louisiana Tech
Vanessa Hayden, Florida
Caton Hill, Oklahoma
Ebony Hoffman, Southern Cal
Nicole Ohlde, Kansas State
Gwen Jackson, Tennessee
Temeka Johnson, LSU
Kara Lawson, Tennessee
Kelly Mazzante, Penn State
Jocelyn Penn, Southern Cal
Nicole Powell, Stanford
Alicia Ratay, Notre Dame
Aiysha Smith, LSU
Stacy Stephens, Texas
Brianne Stepherson, Boston College
Diana Taurasi, Connecticut
Brandi Teamer, Virginia
LaToya Thomas, Mississippi State
Iciss Tillis, Duke
Kendra Wecker, KSU
Lindsay Whalen, Minnesota
Lindsey Wilson, Iowa StatevShereka Wright, Purdue