Pondexter Named WBCA National Player of the Month
Feb 08 | Women's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, NJ - Rutgers fifth-year senior Cappie Pondexter (Chicago, IL) has been named the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) National Player of the Month for January, the organization announced Feb. 8.
In eight games during the month of January, the 5-9 guard averaged 22.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.0 steals per contest, shooting 54.0 (68-126) percent from the field, 50.0 (11-22) percent from three-point range and 85.7 (36-42) percent from the free-throw line. Pondexter reached double figures in scoring in all eight games, reaching the 20-point plateau five times, including a career-high 40 at South Florida Jan. 11, the fifth-highest single-game total in RU history. Twice named the BIG EAST Conference Player of the Week last month (Jan. 2, Jan. 19), she is currently second nationally in scoring (22.1 ppg), posting double-digit scoring totals in each of her last 27 outings, and is the reigning BIG EAST Player of the Week.
Pondexter was a frequent member of preseason honor lists this fall, earning first-team All-America accolades from the Associated Press and Women’s Basketball News Service, second-team All-America mentions from Gballmag.com, Lindy’s and Athlon Sports, and a spot on the Street & Smith’s “Terrific 10” Preseason All-America Team. Named a candidate for all three 2005-2006 national player-of-the-year awards (Naismith, Wade Trophy, Women’s Wooden Award), Pondexter is the BIG EAST’s Preseason Player of the Year.
No. 8/8 Rutgers (18-3, 10-0 BIG EAST), fresh off a 60-56 upset of No. 4/3 Connecticut Feb. 7 that gave the Scarlet Knights sole possession of first place in the conference standings, will finish a two-game road trip Friday, Feb. 10, at West Virginia at 7:00 p.m. The game will be shown on ESPNU, and will be carried live on Rutgers’ student station, WRSU 88.7 FM. A live stream of the audio will be available via www.scarletknights.com.
