Milwaukee's Edwards selected to the Naismith Trophy Preseason Watch List

Dec. 19, 2007

MILWAUKEE, Wis. - Milwaukee junior Traci Edwards has been named to the 2007-08 Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T women's preseason candidate watch list, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Tuesday.

The Naismith Trophy is the most prestigious national award presented annually to college basketball's players of the year. The watch list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club's Board of Selectors, which based its preseason criteria on player performances from last season and expectations for the 2007-08 campaign. There are 27 seniors, 18 juniors and five sophomores on the list, which does not include incoming freshmen, who will be considered in the first ballot in January, 2008.

Edwards has led the Panthers in scoring and rebounding in each of her first two seasons and was the fastest player in school history to both the 1,000-point and 500-rebound marks. This season, she was named the Horizon League Preseason Player of the Year and leads the league in scoring at 19.0 points per game and rebounding at 9.9 rebounds per contest. Edwards is ranked nationally in both those categories, as well as field goal percentage.

In January, the Naismith Trophy voting academy, comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country, will narrow its preseason list to the top 30 players in the nation. Those players will be eligible for the final ballot in March. In April, the Naismith Trophy winner will be recognized at the NCAA Women's Final Four in Tampa, Fla.

Last year's Naismith Trophy recipient was Duke University guard Lindsey Harding. Other notable winners include Diana Taurasi (Connecticut), who won it in back-to-back years, Cheryl Miller (USC), Dawn Staley (Virginia) and Chamique Holdsclaw (Tennessee).

Edwards and the Panthers return to action Thursday, hosting North Dakota State. UWM and NDSU tip off at 7 p.m. at the Klotsche Center. The game will be televised live on Time Warner Sports Channel 32.

--Story provided by the Milwaukee office of sports information.