Oct. 8, 2013
Tickets! | Lucas espnW Blog | LadyLions.com
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - Penn State Lady Lion senior guard Maggie Lucas (Narberth, Pa.) has been named to the preseason Wade Watch list for the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's National Player of the Year. Lucas, who was one of 12 finalists for the award last year, is among the 25 players on the preseason list for 2013-14. She is also one of three representatives from the Big Ten.
Now in its 37th year, The Wade Trophy is named in honor of the late, legendary three-time national champion Delta State University coach, Lily Margaret Wade. Regarded as "The Heisman of Women's Basketball," the award is presented annually to the NCAA Division I Player of the Year by the National Association of Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS) and the WBCA. The preseason list is composed of top NCAA Division I women's basketball players who best embody Wade's spirit from 18 different institutions and seven conferences. A committee of coaches, administrators and media from across the United States compiled the list using the following criteria: game and season statistics, leadership, character, effect on their team and overall playing ability.
The reigning Big Ten Player of the Year, Lucas loaded up her trophy case as a junior, earning All-America honors from the Associated Press (second team), USBWA (first team), Full Court (second team) and WBCA (honorable mention). Lucas is the third Lady Lion to win Big Ten Player of the Year accolades, joining Helen Darling (2000) and Kelly Mazzante (2003, 2004). She was also voted by the fans as the PremierPlayers.com Player of the Year.
Lucas has established herself as arguably one of the best players in Penn State and Big Ten history from long range. She enters her final season in the Blue & White with 292 career three-pointers, just 65 triples away from Mazzante's school and conference record (357). Lucas ranks seventh in program history with 1,838 points and is on pace to become the fifth player in school history with 2,000 points. Additionally, Lucas is tops in school history in career free throw percentage (.887) and second in career three-point field goal percentage (.433).
The Narberth, Pa. native accounted for 20.1 points per game a year ago, becoming the first Lady Lion since Mazzante in 2004 to average 20 or more points in a season. Lucas also ranked sixth in the conference in steals (2.3) and tallied 4.5 rebounds per outing. She was also third in the Big Ten in free throw percentage (.900).
About the NAGWS
The National Association for Girls and Women in Sport was established to develop and deliver equitable and quality sport opportunities for ALL girls and women through relevant research, advocacy, leadership development, educational strategies, and programming in a manner that promotes social justice and change.
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.
Lady Lion Basketball season tickets are available by calling 1-800-NITTANY. Season tickets are $99 for adults and $50 for youth (12 and under), this includes a Nittany Lion Kids Club Membership for 2013-14. New this year, the Lady Lions have introduced a Family Season Ticket package. For $200, fans will get two adult tickets and two youth tickets for the 2013-14 campaign. The PNC Flex Books are available again this year for $99. The Flex Book gives fans 12 vouchers, 10 that can be redeemed in any combination for Nittany Lion and Lady Lion Basketball tickets throughout the year and two extra vouchers for the Nittany Lions' Coaches Vs. Cancer game and the Lady Lions' Pink Zone game.
The Lady Lions are on Twitter. Follow sports information contact Kris Petersen (@ladylionsid) and the Lady Lions and coaches (@pennstatewbb) to get the inside scoop. The Lady Lions are also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pennstateladylions.
2013-14 Preseason Wade Watch
Natalie Achonwa, Notre Dame
Rachel Banham, Minnesota
Brittany Boyd, California
Gennifer Brandon, California
Jerica Coley, FIU
Stefanie Dolson, Connecticut
Aaryn Ellenberg, Oklahoma
Bashaara Graves, Tennessee
Chelsea Gray, Duke
Bria Hartley, Connecticut
Jordan Hooper, Nebraska
Maggie Lucas, Penn State
Tyaunna Marshall, Georgia Tech
Kayla McBride, Notre Dame
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Connecticut
Chiney Ogwumike, Stanford
Theresa Plaisance, LSU
Ebony Rowe, Middle Tennessee
Shoni Schimmel, Louisville
Meighan Simmons, Tennessee
Odyssey Sims, Baylor
DeNesha Stallworth, Kentucky
Breanna Stewart, Connecticut
Alyssa Thomas, Maryland
Elizabeth Williams, Duke