Dec. 18, 2007
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame senior All-America guard Charel Allen (Monessen, Pa./Monessen) has been chosen as a preseason candidate for the 2008 Naismith Trophy, presented annually to the nation’s top collegiate women’s basketball player, it was announced Tuesday by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. Allen is one of 50 players who have been named preseason candidates to this year’s Naismith Trophy based upon their on-court performance last season as well as expectations for success this season — the Atlanta Tipoff Club Board of Selectors compiled this year’s preseason watch list.
Allen currently leads the team and is tied for 19th in the BIG EAST Conference in scoring (13.8 ppg.), while also ranking among the conference leaders in assists (tied-10th – 3.7 apg.) and assist/turnover ratio (fourth – 2.47), standing 17th in the nation in the latter category. The Naismith Trophy watch list selection is the third preseason player-of-the-year candidacy honor for Allen this year — back in August, she was tabbed as a preseason candidate for the WBCA State Farm Wade Trophy, while in October, she earned a spot on the preseason John. R. Wooden Women’s Award watch list.
The BIG EAST led all conferences with 10 players on this year’s Naismith Trophy preseason candidate list. Other league players to be chosen include: Matee Ajavon, Essence Carson and Kia Vaughn (Rutgers); Tina Charles, Charde Houston and Renee Montgomery (Connecticut); Angel McCoughtry (Louisville); Krystal Ellis (Marquette) and Marcedes Walker (Pittsburgh). No other conference in the country placed more than seven players on the Naismith Trophy watch list — Duke’s Lindsey Harding took home last year’s award.
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 honored at the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Tampa, Fla.
Allen and the 17th-ranked Irish (9-1) will return from the final exam break Friday night, traveling to Indianapolis for a 7 p.m. (ET) contest at IUPUI. It will be the lone game in a 17-day period for Notre Dame, which will break for the Christmas holiday before returning to the hardwood Dec. 29 to face Saint Francis (Pa.) in a 2 p.m. (ET) game at the Joyce Center. Tickets for that matchup, and all Irish women’s basketball games, may still be purchased by contacting the Notre Dame Athletics Ticket Office (574-631-7356), going on-line by clicking here or stopping by the Joyce Center Gate 10 ticket windows on game day.
— ND —