University of Minnesota Athletics
Zahui B. Added to Wade Watch List
2/24/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
MINNEAPOLIS - University of Minnesota sophomore center Amanda Zahui B. was one of five women's basketball players added to the 2014-15 "Wade Watch" list, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), on behalf of the Wade Trophy Coalition, announced today. The Wade Trophy is awarded to the nation's most outstanding NCAA® Division I women's basketball player each year - one who not only excels athletically, but also serves as a positive role model both on and off the court.
The four players joining Zahui on the preseason list of 25 "Wade Watch" hopefuls are Ameryst Alston of Ohio State, Chastity Gooch of Western Kentucky, Niya Johnson of Baylor and Courtney Williams of South Florida.
The acclaimed Wade Watch list, from which The Wade Trophy recipient is chosen, consists of players selected on the basis of game and season statistics, leadership, character, overall playing ability and the positive impact on her respective team.
Zahui is coming off of a huge week in which she was named the National Player of the Week by espnW for the second time this season and the Big Ten Player of the Week for the fourth time this year after totaling 66 points, 56 rebounds and nine blocks in victories over No. 13/11 Iowa and Michigan last week.
Along with averaging 33.0 points, 28.0 rebounds and 4.5 blocks per game over the two-game span, Zahui also posted a .542 (26-48) field goal percentage, a .923 (12-13) free throw percentage and knocked down each of her two three-point field goal attempts.
Already named to the Wooden Award Late Season Top 20, Zahui is averaging 18.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game this season and ranks third nationally with 20 double-doubles on the year. She recently became the 22nd member of Minnesota's 1,000-point club, and with 214 career blocks, she is the Gophers' all-time blocks leader, while her 521 defensive rebounds rank second on Minnesota's career record chart behind Janel McCarville.
Zahui holds the program single-season record with 109 blocks in 2014-15 and set the Big Ten and Minnesota season record with 394 total rebounds as a rookie, a mark that she 40 rebounds away from surpassing this season. She is the only player in program history to record two triple-doubles during her career after posting 16 points, 13 rebounds and a Big Ten- and program-record 12 blocks against Penn State on Jan. 28. She now holds the top single-game marks in the NCAA this season with her 29 rebounds and 12 blocks. Zahui also set a Minnesota single-game record when she connected on all 11 of her field goal attempts against Purdue on Jan. 22.
Zahui first earned espnW National Player of the Week honors on Jan. 5 when she averaged 17.3 points, 15.3 rebounds and 4.0 blocks per game in wins over No. 12/14 Nebraska, Purdue and Wisconsin to open the Big Ten season.
The Wade Watch list will be trimmed to 12 finalists in mid-March. The Wade Trophy Coalition will officially announce The Wade Trophy winner during the WBCA National Convention, held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women's Final Four® in Tampa Bay.
Here is the complete 2014-15 Wade Watch list:
Player Institution Position Year
Jillian Alleyne Oregon Forward Junior
Ameryst Alston Ohio State Guard Junior
Rachel Banham Minnesota Guard Senior
Brittany Boyd California Guard Senior
Crystal Bradford Central Michigan Guard Senior
Nina Davis Baylor Forward Sophomore
Nneka Enemkpali Texas Forward Senior
Chastity Gooch Western Kentucky Forward Senior
Bashaara Graves Tennessee Forward Junior
Allisha Gray North Carolina Guard Sophomore
Reshanda Gray California Forward Senior
Dearica Hamby Wake Forest Forward Senior
Sara Hammond Louisville Forward Senior
Isabelle Harrison Tennessee Center Senior
Bria Holmes West Virginia Guard Junior
Brittany Hrynko DePaul Guard Senior
Niya Johnson Baylor Guard Junior
Samantha Logic Iowa Guard Senior
Jewell Loyd Notre Dame Guard Junior
Tiffany Mitchell South Carolina Guard Junior
Kaleena Mosqueda- Lewis Connecticut Forward Senior
Amber Orrange Stanford Guard Senior
Kelsey Plum Washington Guard Sophomore
Breanna Stewart Connecticut Forward Junior
Rachel Theriot Nebraska Guard Junior
Courtney Walker Texas A&M Guard Junior
Aleighsa Welch South Carolina Forward Senior
Courtney Williams South Florida Guard Junior
Elizabeth Williams Duke Center Senior
Amanda Zahui B. Minnesota Center Sophomore
The Wade Trophy, named after the late, legendary head coach Lilly Margaret Wade, a three-time national champion at Delta State University, debuted in 1978 as the first-ever women's national player of the year award in college basketball. The Wade Trophy Coalition was established in June 2000 when the WBCA partnered with the National Association of Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS), an association of SHAPE America - the Society of Health and Physical Educators. For the past 12 years the two have worked together to present The Wade Trophy player of the year award. A committee composed of coaches, administrators and media from across the U.S. selects the winner.
About SHAPE America:
SHAPE America - Society of Health and Physical Educators is committed to ensuring all children have the opportunity to lead healthy, physically active lives. As the nation's largest membership organization of health and physical education professionals, SHAPE America works with its 50 state affiliates and national partners to support the Presidential Youth Fitness Program, Let's Move! Active Schools and the Jump Rope For Heart/Hoops For Heart programs. Since its founding in 1885, the organization has defined excellence in physical education, and our resources provide the leadership, professional development and advocacy that support health and physical educators at every level - from pre-school to university graduate programs. For more information, visit www.shapeamerica.org.
About the WBCA:
Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association promotes women's basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to develop a reputable identity for the sport and to foster and promote the development of the game as a sport for women and girls. For more information on the WBCA, please visit wbca.org.
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