Oct. 18, 2005
WACO, Texas - Sophia Young (Baylor) was named Big 12 women's basketball Preseason Player of the Year and teammate Abiola Wabara received All-Big 12 honorable mention in a vote of the league's head coaches the Big 12 office announced today. In addition, Shaquina Mosley (Kansas) was chosen Preseason Newcomer of the Year and Courtney Paris (Oklahoma) was selected Preseason Freshman of the Year by the coaches.
Young was an All-Big 12 First Team selection last year, as well as Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Final Four and Temple Regional, while leading Baylor to the national championship. She was third (18.4 ppg) in the league in scoring and second (9.3 rpg) in rebounding in 2004-05. The 6-1 senior forward/post was a 2005 Kodak All-American and is named to numerous preseason All-America teams heading into the 2005-06 campaign.
Young is the first Baylor player to receive Preseason Player of the Year honors by the coaches. Lara Webb (1997-98) and Sheila Lambert (2000-01) were tabbed as Preseason Newcomer of the Year by the coaches.
Mosley, a 5-6 junior guard, transferred to Kansas from Central Arizona Community College. She led her team to the NJCAA national championship last year while being named the 2005 WBCA Junior College/Community College Player of the Year.
Paris was selected the 2005 National High School Player of the Year by USA Today and the Naismith Trophy Foundation. The 6-4 freshman center averaged 27.0 points, 19.0 rebounds and 5.0 blocks per game as a senior at Piedmont (Calif.) High School. She earned two gold medals this past summer while playing for the USA FIBA U19 championship team.
Joining Young on the Preseason All-Big 12 Team are Kiera Hardy (Nebraska), Leah Rush (Oklahoma), Tiffany Jackson (Texas) and Erin Grant (Texas Tech). Young, Hardy, Jackson and Grant were members of the 2004-05 All-Big 12 First Team while Rush was a second team selection.
2005-06 Big 12 Conference Women's Basketball Preseason All-Big 12 Team
(coaches not allowed to vote for own players)
Preseason Player of the Year
Sophia Young, Baylor, F, 6-1, Sr, St. Vincent, The Grenadines/Evangel Academy (Shreveport, La.)
Preseason Newcomer of the Year
Shaquina Mosley, Kansas, G, 5-6, Jr, Lancaster, Calif./Antelope Valley/Central Arizona CC
Preseason Freshman of the Year
Courtney Paris, Oklahoma, C, 6-4, Fr, Piedmont, Calif.
Preseason All-Big 12 Team
Name, School - Pos., Ht., Cl-Exp, PPG, RPG
Sophia Young, Baylor - F, 6-1, Sr-3L,18.4 ppg, 9.3 rpg
Kiera Hardy, Nebraska - G, 5-6, Jr-2L, 19.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg
Leah Rush, Oklahoma - F, 6-1, Jr-2L, 15.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg
Tiffany Jackson, Texas - F, 6-3, Jr-2L, 18.3 ppg, 8.7 rpg
Erin Grant, Texas Tech - G, 5-8, Sr-3L, 8.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg
Honorable Mention (listed alphabetically by school)
Baylor: Abiola Wabara; Iowa State: Lyndsey Medders; Kansas: Crystal Kemp; Kansas State: Claire Coggins; Oklahoma: Courtney Paris; Texas: Nina Norman; Texas A&M: Morenike Atunrase; Texas Tech: Chesley Dabbs, LaToya Davis, Alesha Robertson.
