Pondexter, Prince to Compete in WBCA Games April 1
Mar 29 | Women's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, NJ - Rutgers fifth-year senior Cappie Pondexter (Chicago, IL) and signee Epiphanny Prince (New York, NY) will compete in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s all-star games Saturday, April 1, at Northeastern University’s Matthews Arena.
Prince will play in the High School All-America Game at 4:30 p.m., followed by Pondexter in the college All-Star Challenge. For tickets, contact Northeastern at 617-373-4700 or www.gonu.com.
The 2006 Women’s Basketball News Service National Player of the Year, Pondexter has been named a finalist for the State Farm Wade Trophy (national player of the year), the Naismith Award (national 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 member of the national ballot for the Women’s Wooden Award (national player of the year). She averaged 21.6 points per contest (tied for sixth nationally as of March 22), adding 4.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.7 steals per game this season. Named to the Associated Press All-America First Team, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) National Player of the Month for January 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, the 5-9 guard was selected to the BIG EAST All-Tournament Team for the fourth straight year (22.5 ppg) and 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.
Prince, a 5-9 guard, averaged nearly 23 points and 12 assists per game as a junior at Murry Bergtraum High School. Named a 2005 All-American by Street & Smith’s (first team), Parade (second team) and EA Sports, she has helped lead her team, ranked third in the Student Sports Preseason Top 50 Poll, to three straight Public School Athletic League (PSAL) titles and two New York State Federation championships. Prince has been among the highest-rated players in the nation, picked third by Blue Star, fourth by Gameball Magazine, 13th by Full Court Press, and eighth overall and the second-best point guard by the All Star Girls Report. The 2004 Daily News Player of the Year, she is a two-time first-team all-state selection (2004-2005) and earned All-America honors from Street & Smith’s (fourth team, 2004; honorable mention, 2003), USA Today (2004-2005) and Student Sports (2004 Sophomore of the Year). Prince competed at the 2003 Nike All-America Camp. She played club ball with the New York Exodus and current RU freshman Kia Vaughn (Bronx, NY). On Feb. 1, Prince established a new national record when she scored 113 points in a single game, making 54 of 60 (.900) field goals.
