ATLANTA, Ga. - A national awards committee consisting of leading basketball coaches, journalists, and basketball administrators today announced its preseason list for The State Farm Wade Trophy. The list is comprised of 31 student-athletes who are members of an NCAA Division I institution and are selected based on the following criteria: game and season statistics, leadership, character, effect on their team and overall playing ability.

"The 2004-05 State Farm Wade Trophy preseason list is an example of how dynamic and exciting the game of women's college basketball has become," said Jeanne Lenti-Ponsetto, Chair of the State Farm Wade Trophy Committee and Athletic Director, DePaul University. "These 31 student-athletes represent the best and brightest and we look forward to an outstanding year of college women's basketball."

Of the 31 student-athletes selected for the preseason "Wade Watch," the Big 12 led with seven (7); the BIG EAST followed with five (5) players; the SEC and PAC-10 each have four (4) players; the ACC and Conference USA with three (3) players; the Big Ten with two (2) players, while the Big South, Big West and Mountain West have one player represented respectively.

The State Farm Wade Trophy, now in its 28th 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 Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), in conjunction with the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS).

Last year's State Farm Wade Trophy recipient was Alana Beard (Duke University). 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), Diana Taurasi (2003), in addition to; two-time winner Nancy Lieberman (1979 and 1980) and Cheryl Miller (1985).

The 2005 State Farm Wade Trophy winner will be announced during the WBCA National Convention held in conjunction with the NCAA Women's Final Four in Indianapolis, Indiana, April 2-5, 2005.

The pre-season candidates for The State Farm Wade Trophy, listed in alphabetical order, are as follows:

Founded in 1981, the WBCA 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 our website at WBCA.org.