| | The 1999-2000 women's college basketball season is still two months away, but projections are already being made about who will be the country's best player when the new season tips off in November.
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PRESEASON CANDIDATES
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PLAYER
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SCHOOL
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Svetlana Abrosimova
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Connecticut
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Edwina Brown
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Texas
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Tamika Catchings
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Tennessee
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Tamicha Jackson
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Louisiana Tech
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Maylana Martin
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UCLA
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Kelly Miller
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Georgia
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Lynn Pride
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Kansas
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Semeka Randall
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Tennessee
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Ruth Riley
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Notre Dame
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Nikki Teasley
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North Carolina
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The Atlanta Tipoff Club this week announced its preseason Naismith College Player of the Year Award candidates. The award honors the outstanding college basketball players in the United States, and was first given to a women's basketball player in 1983.
Chamique Holdsclaw won the award in 1998 and 1999, and current Lady Vols forward Tamika Catchings was the top vote-getter on this year's list of candidates, who were selected by leading coaches, journalists and basketball analysts around the country. Catchings' teammate, Semeka Randall, also made the "top 10" list of candidates.
Also making the cut were Connecticut junior Svetlana Abrosimova, who ranked third overall in voting, and UCLA senior forward Maylana Martin, second overall.
The top 10 also included Edwina Brown of Texas, Tamicha Jackson of Louisiana Tech, Kelly Miller of Georgia, Lynn Pride of Kansas, Ruth Riley of Notre Dame and Nikki Teasley of North Carolina.
Two players from defending NCAA champion Purdue, juniors Camille Cooper and Katie Douglas, were listed in the 21-member "Best of the Rest" category. Purdue's Stephanie McCarty was the 1999 runner-up.
Previous winners of the award include three-time winner Cheryl Miller (USC, 1984-86), two-time winner Dawn Staley (Virginia, 1991-92), Jennifer Azzi (Stanford, 1990), Sheryl Swoopes (Texas Tech, 1993) and Rebecca Lobo (Connecticut, 1995). | |
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