March 23, 2005

WACO, Texas - Baylor women's basketball players Sophia Young and Steffanie Blackmon were named to The Associated Press All-America team it was announced today. Baylor is just one of two schools, LSU being the other, with players on the 15-member All-America teams. Young was named to the second team while Blackmon earned third team honors.

Young, a junior forward, leads the fifth-ranked Lady Bears in both scoring and rebounding this season at 17.8 points and 9.3 rebounds a game. In addition, she owns the highest shooting percentage (.533) on the team, leads the team in steals (61) and ranks second in assists with 85. Young, a 6-1 native of St. Vincent, West Indies, was recently named a U.S. Basketball Writers All-America, earned Big 12 Tournament MVP honors and was named first-team All-Big 12.

Blackmon, a senior post from Dallas, follows Young closely with 15.6 points and 8.3 rebounds a game. The duo is one of the most impressive inside tandems in the nation. Blackmon was a first-team All-Big 12 honoree, is a Baylor Senior Class finalist as well and recently received Academic All-America honors.

In addition, both are Kodak All-Region selections, on the Wade Trophy watch list and Wooden Award finalists.

Young and Blackmon are the second and third Baylor players to receive AP All-America honors. Sheila Lambert was a third team selection in 2001-02.

The Associated Press All-America Teams
First Team
Seimone Augustus - LSU
Kendra Wecker - Kansas State
Monique Currie - Duke
Jessica Davenport - Ohio State
Sandora Irvin - TCU

Second Team
Temeka Johnson - LSU
Janel McCarville - Minnesota
Tan White - Mississippi State
Candice Wiggins - Stanford
Sophia Young - Baylor

Third Team
Jacqueline Batteast - Notre Dame
Steffanie Blackmon - Baylor
Tiffany Jackson - Texas
Ivory Latta - North Carolina
Khara Smith - DePaul