University of Houston Athletics
Lyttle Named 2005 Naismith Trophy Preseason Candidate
11/9/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 9, 2004
University of Houston senior center Sancho Lyttle headlines a trio of Conference USA women's basketball players that have been named a 2005 Preseason Naismith Trophy Candidate presented by Cingular Wireless, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today. Lyttle, TCU's senior forward Sandora Irvin and DePaul's junior forward Khara Smith are C-USA candidates for one of the most prestigious national awards presented annually. All three players were also chosen for C-USA 2005 Preseason All-Conference Team.
The top 50 list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club's Board of Selectors, comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country. The board based its preseason criteria on player performances from last season. In January, the Board of Selectors will narrow its preseason list to the top 30 players in the nation. Those players, and others who distinguish themselves throughout the season, will be eligible for the final ballot in March.
Also named among the 31 listed as preseason candidates for 2005 State Farm Wade Trophy, Lyttle is the Lady Cougar's top offensive and defensive threat entering the 2004-05 season. She ranked fourth in the league in rebounding (9.5) and eighth in scoring (16.5) last season. Her 9.5 rebounds per game average is tied for fifth-best of all time and was the best average for a Lady Cougar since Sallie Routt averaged 9.5 per game during the 1988-89 campaign. Lyttle's 299 total rebounds on the 2003-04 year ranks second all-time as the most rebounds recorded by a Cougar in a single season
Lyttle and Lady Cougars play host to their second and final exhibition game this weekend, Nov. 13, against the visiting Houston Jaguars before opening the regular season at Hofheinz Pavilion against Wichita State on Nov. 19 at 5:30 pm.
A complete, alphabetical list of the 50 candidates can be found below.
2005 NAISMITH TROPHY PRESEASON CANDIDATES
Seimone Augustus, G, 6-1, Jr. (LSU)
Sherrill Baker, G, 5-8, Jr. (Georgia)
Jacqueline Batteast, F, 6-2, Sr. (Notre Dame)
Steffanie Blackmon, F, 6-2, Sr. (Baylor)
Nikki Blue, G, 5-8, Jr. (UCLA)
Natasha Brackett, G, 5-9, Sr. (Auburn)
Jamie Carey, G, 5-6, Sr. (Texas)
Monique Currie, G, 6-0, Jr. (Duke)
Jessica Deveney, G, 5-9, Sr. (Boston College)
Shay Doron, G, 5-9, So. (Maryland)
Shyra Ely, F, 6-2, Sr. (Tennessee)
Emily Faurholt, F, 5-11, Jr. (Idaho)
Katie Feenstra, C, 6-8, Sr. (Liberty)
Katie Gearlds, G, 6-1, So. (Purdue)
Erin Grant, G, 5-8, Jr. (Texas Tech)
Sandora Irvin, F, 6-3, Sr. (TCU)
Dionnah Jackson, G, 5-9, Sr. (Oklahoma)
Tiffany Jackson, F, 6-3, So. (Texas)
Tamara James, F/G, 5-10, Jr. (Miami [Fla.])
Temeka Johnson, G, 5-3, Sr. (LSU)
Alexis Kendrick, G, 5-7, Jr. (Georgia)
Laurie Koehn, G, 5-8, Sr. (Kansas State)
Cathrine Kraayeveld, F, 6-4, Sr. (Oregon)
Ivory Latta, G, 5-6, So. (North Carolina)
Camille Little, F/G, 6-1, So. (North Carolina)
Sancho Lyttle, C/F, 6-4, Sr. (Houston)
Kristen Mann, F, 6-2, Sr. (UC Santa Barbara)
Janel McCarville, C, 6-2, Sr. (Minnesota)
Jessica Moore, C/F, 6-3, Sr. (Connecticut)
Loree Moore, G, 5-9, Sr. (Tennessee)
Bernice Mosby, F, 6-1, Jr. (Florida)
Chelsea Newton, G, 5-11, Sr. (Rutgers)
Shawntinice Polk, C, 6-5, Jr. (Arizona)
Cappie Pondexter, G, 5-9, Sr. (Rutgers)
Noelle Quinn, G, 6-0, So. (UCLA)
Kathrin Ress, F, 6-4, So. (Boston College)
Alesha Robertson, F, 6-0, So. (Texas Tech)
Heather Schreiber, F, 6-2, Sr. (Texas)
Khara Smith, F, 6-2, Jr. (DePaul)
Kim Smith, F, 6-1, Jr. (Utah)
Ann Strother, G, 6-2, Jr. (Connecticut)
Kelley Suminski, G, 5-9, Sr. (Stanford)
Carla Thomas, F, 6-3, So. (Vanderbilt)
Barbara Turner, F/G, 6-0, Jr. (Connecticut)
Kendra Wecker, F, 5-11, Sr. (Kansas State)
Dee-Dee Wheeler, G, 5-6, Sr. (Arizona)
Tan White, G, 5-7, Sr. (Mississippi State)
Tanisha Wright, G, 5-11, Sr. (Penn State)
Sophia Young, F, 6-1, Jr. (Baylor)
Shanna Zolman, G, 5-10, Jr. (Tennessee)
