DENVER -- Brittney Griner is The Associated Press' women's college basketball Player of the Year, the first Baylor player to win the award.
She received 36 votes Saturday from the 40-member national media panel that selects the weekly Top 25. Balloting was done before the NCAA tournament.
The 6-foot-8 phenom averaged 23.4 points, 9.4 rebounds and 5.2 blocks this season. She shot 61 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free throw line, and she has raised her game over the last month.
Griner also confirmed Saturday that she won't enter the WNBA draft and will return to Baylor for her senior season.
"I'm staying. I made a commitment. I said I was coming here, and I'm going to stay here until my time is up," Griner said. "I'm staying here, right here at Baylor."
Elena Delle Donne of Delaware was second with two votes. Skylar Diggins of Notre Dame and Nnemkadi Ogwumike of Stanford received the other votes.
Maya Moore of Connecticut won the award last season and Griner ended a run of three straight seasons that a Huskies player has been player of the year.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.