ATLANTA, Ga. -- (February 17, 2004) With only a few weeks remaining in the regular season, the State Farm Wade Trophy Committee along with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS) today announced the top 21 candidates in contention for The State Farm Wade Trophy.

Featured among the group of 21, include 2003 State Farm Wade Trophy winner, Diana Taurasi (Connecticut). Other highlighted candidates are Duke's Alana Beard, Texas trio Jamie Carey, Heather Schreiber and Stacy Stephens, Penn State's Kelly Mazzante, Stanford's Nicole Powell, and dynamic duos out of Kansas State, Nicole Ohlde and Kendra Wecker, and Minnesota's Janel McCarville and Lindsay Whalen.

"All 21 candidates deserve this recognition, having made outstanding contributions to their respective teams and conferences," said WBCA CEO, Beth Bass. "Any player selected from this awesome group of talent would be an excellent representative of Lily Margaret Wade and The State Farm Wade Trophy."

Although 21 players have been recognized, other players are still eligible to be considered for the State Farm Wade Trophy. One player that was not a State Farm Wade Trophy Preseason Candidate and has been added to the list for her outstanding performance this season is the University of Florida's Vanessa Hayden.

The candidates were selected by a vote of committee members comprised of leading basketball coaches, journalists, and basketball administrators. Members of the committee will select the winner of The State Farm Wade Trophy from the 10-member Kodak All-America Team and will be announced during the WBCA National Convention, April 3-6, New Orleans, LA.

"On behalf of our Good Neighbor Agents and Employee's, it's an honor for State Farm to be a part of this outstanding award", said Pam El, Vice President of Marketing at State Farm. "Each of these student-athletes are deserving of being the 2004 State Farm Wade Trophy, Player of the Year."

*Will be referred to as a junior, athletic eligibility-wise, and a senior academically. Carey received an extension of her eligibility through the 2004-05 academic year.

The State Farm Wade Trophy, now in its 27th year and named after the late, legendary three-time national champion Delta State University coach, Lily Margaret Wade, debuted in 1978 as the first-ever women's national player of the year award in college basketball. This most prestigious award, regarded as "The Heisman of Women's Basketball", is organized by the WBCA in conjunction with the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS).

Last year's State Farm Wade Trophy recipient was Diana Taurasi (University of Connecticut). The first recipient of the Wade Trophy was Carol Blazejowski of Montclair State in 1978. Other Wade Trophy/NCAA Division I Player of the Year recipients include many WNBA standouts such as Teresa Weatherspoon (1988), Jennifer Azzi (1990), Ticha Penicheiro (1998), Sue Bird (2002), in addition to two-time winner Nancy Lieberman (1979 and 1980) and Cheryl Miller (1985).

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 in all of its aspects as an amateur sport for women and girls. For more information about the WBCA, please visit WBCA.org.