Oct. 12, 2006
WACO, Texas - Baylor senior Bernice Mosby was chosen Preseason Newcomer of the Year while, Courtney Paris (Oklahoma) was named Big 12 women's basketball Preseason Player of the Year and Brittainey Raven (Texas) was selected Preseason Freshman of the Year in a vote of the league's head coaches the Big 12 Conference office announced today.
Mosby, a 6-1 senior forward, transferred to Baylor from the University of Florida and will have one year of eligibility remaining. She averaged a team-leading 15.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 30.3 minutes a game as a junior. Mosby was voted the 2004 Southeastern Conference Sixth Woman of the Year and named to the 2003 SEC All-Freshman team. She amassed 1,124 points and 625 rebounds at Florida. Mosby becomes the third Baylor player to be named Preseason Newcomer of the Year by Big 12 coaches, Nicole Palmer was honored in 1996-97 and Sheila Lambert earned the distinction in 2000-01.
Paris ended her rookie campaign as a consensus All-American and USBWA National Freshman of the Year. She was also an All-Big 12 First Team selection, Big 12 Freshman of the Year, MVP of the Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team and the conference's co-Defensive Player of the Year. The 6-4 sophomore center became the only player in NCAA history to collect 700 points, 500 rebounds and 100 blocks in a season. She also broke the 23-year old NCAA single season rebounding record with 539 boards last year. Paris averaged 21.9 points, 15 rebounds, 3.3 blocks and shot .614 from the field in 2005-06.
Raven averaged 27.2 points and 5.2 assists as a senior at North Crowley High School in Forth Worth, Texas. The 6-0 guard was a member of the gold-medalist 2006 FIBA Americas Under 18 Championship Team. She was a consensus high school All-American and played in the two high school all-star games this past spring. Raven was also the 2006 Gatorade Circle of Champions Texas State Player of the Year.
Joining Paris on the Preseason All-Big 12 Team are Lyndsey Medders (Iowa State), Kiera Hardy (Nebraska), Tiffany Jackson (Texas) and Morenike Atunrase (Texas A&M). All five were members of the 2005-06 All-Big 12 First Team.
2006-07 Big 12 Conference Women's Basketball Preseason All-Big 12 Team
(coaches not allowed to vote for own players)
Preseason Player of the Year
Courtney Paris, Oklahoma, C, 6-4, So., Piedmont, Calif.
Preseason Newcomer of the Year
Bernice Mosby, Baylor, G, 6-0, Sr., Brooksville, Fla./University of Florida
Preseason Freshman of the Year
Brittainey Raven, Texas, G, 6-0, Fr., Fort Worth, Texas/North Crowley HS
Preseason All-Big 12 Team
Lyndsey Medders - 5-9, Sr., G, Iowa State (16.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg)
Kiera Hardy - 5-6, Sr., G, Nebraska (17.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg)
Courtney Paris - 6-4, So., C, Oklahoma (21.9 ppg, 15.0 rpg)
Tiffany Jackson - 6-3, Sr., F, Texas (14.3 ppg, 8.7 rpg)
Morenike Atunrase - 5-10, Jr., G/F, Texas A&M (14.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg)
Honorable Mention (listed alphabetically by school)
Claire Coggins (Kansas State), Leah Rush (Oklahoma), Alesha Robertson (Texas Tech)
