Pondexter Named to Wooden National Ballot
Mar 13 | Women's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, NJ - Rutgers fifth-year senior Cappie Pondexter (Chicago, IL) is one of 18 players to be named to the national ballot for the Women’s Wooden Award, given to the national player of the year in women’s basketball.
Pondexter, who also has been named a finalist for the State Farm Wade Trophy (player of the year) and the Bayer Advantage Senior CLASS Award, as well as one of 11 nominees for the Nancy Lieberman Award (top point guard) and a mid-season candidate for the Naismith National Player-of-the-Year Award, is tied for sixth (March 7) nationally with 21.5 points per contest, adding 4.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.7 steals per game this season. Named the WBCA National Player of the Month for January, the 5-9 guard was the unanimous choice as the BIG EAST Player of the Year, becoming the first player in league history to be named to the All-BIG EAST First Team four times during her career. The MVP at the Junkanoo Jam Nov. 25-26 and the KCRG-TV9 Hawkeye Challenge Dec. 3-4, she has also received four BIG EAST Conference player-of-the-week awards (Jan. 2, Jan. 16, Feb. 6, Feb. 13) and six berths on the BIG EAST Honor Roll (Nov. 28, Dec. 5, Dec. 12, Jan. 9, Jan. 23, Jan. 30). 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.
The winner of the last two BIG EAST Conference regular-season titles, No. 6/9 Rutgers (25-4, 16-0 BIG EAST) is awaiting the announcement of the 64-team field for the 2006 NCAA Tournament. The bracket will be revealed Monday, March 13, at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN.
