Atlanta, Ga. (Sept. 27) - Old Dominion University senior forward Lucienne Berthieu (Rennes, France) is among the 30 preseason candidates for the 2000-2001 Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year Award, as announced earlier in the week by Jackie Bradford, Executive Director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club.
Berthieu is a repeat selection for the preseason honor, having appeared on the list last year. Last season, Berthieu led the Lady Monarchs to a 19-5 record and an appearance in the Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA Tournament. She put up 17.8 points and 8.9 rebounds per contest and was named, for the second year in a row, the Colonial Athletic Association conference Player of the Year.
The Naismith Awards program, now in its 33rd year, honors the outstanding college basketball players of the United States. The awards program was founded by the Atlanta Tipoff Club, an organization dedicated to recognizing the achievements of student-athletes in basketball.
The candidates were selected by a vote of the Board of Selectors comprised of leading basketball coaches, journalists, and basketball analysts. Previous winners include Kenyon Martin (Cincinnati) and Tamika Catchings (Tennessee) from last season, Lew Alcindor, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Anne Donovan, Cheryl Miller, and Chamique Holdsclaw.
A complete list of preseason candidates can be found at www.naismithawards.com