Vanderbilt's Chantelle Anderson, Connecticut's Sue Bird and Mississippi State's LaToya Thomas have been named the top three preseason candidates for the 2001-02 Naismith Award.

Thirty preseason finalists, including four Connecticut team members, were named in mid-October.

Anderson, a 6-foot-6 center, averaged 21.2 points and led the nation with a 72.3 field goal percentage last season. Bird, a 5-9 senior point guard, helped lead the Huskies to the 1999 NCAA title and two consecutive Final Four appearances. Thomas is a two-time Kodak All-American.

The complete list of candidates: Chantelle Anderson (Vanderbilt), Lucienne Berthieu (Old Dominion), Sue Bird (Connecticut), Swin Cash (Connecticut), LaNeishea Caufield (Oklahoma), Danielle Crockrom (Baylor), Stacey Dales (Oklahoma), Chrissy Floyd (Clemson), Catrina Frierson (Louisiana Tech), Deanna Jackson (UAB), Gwen Jackson (Tennessee), Sheila Lambert (Baylor), Kara Lawson (Tennessee), Takeisha Lewis (Louisiana Tech), Brandi McCain (Florida), Tawana McDonald (Georgia), Plenette Pierson (Texas Tech), Nicole Powell (Stanford), Alicia Ratay (Notre Dame), Michelle Snow (Tennessee), Diana Taurasi (Connecticut), Nikki Teasley (North Carolina), LaToya Thomas (Mississippi State), Ayana Walker (Louisiana Tech), Angie Welle (Iowa State), Tamika Williams (Connecticut), Shaquala Williams (Oregon), Shereka Wright (Purdue) and DeTrina White (LSU).

The Naismith Awards program, now in its 34th year, honors the outstanding college basketball player 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.