SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ­- Mississippi State senior guard Tan White is the 2005 recipient of the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award, presented annually by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the nation's outstanding female collegian 5'8" and under who has excelled both athletically and academically.

"It is just an honor to be recognized as one of the top senior guards in the country," said senior guard Tan White. "It has taken a lot of hard work over the past four years at Mississippi State both on and off the court. I'm thankful to receive this award and am in great company with the past recipients."

A native of Tupelo, Miss., White led the nation in scoring this season, averaging 23.5 points per game while leading the Lady Bulldogs (17-12) to a school record 12 straight wins. White was a unanimous selection to the all-SEC first team, leading the conference in scoring and ranking second in steals. She became the SEC's All-Time Career Steals leader with 372 in her career. As a 5'7" guard White still managed to pull down 7.7 rebounds per game, and amazingly became the career leader in blocked shots for Mississippi State (118) with a block in the first half against Mississippi on Feb. 17.

In addition to her all-SEC honors, White is a finalist for a number of prestigious national awards, including The State Farm Wade Trophy, Naismith and Wooden Awards, and has been named to the Kodak/WBCA Region 3 All-America team. She has also been selected to play in the WBCA All-Star Challenge in Indianapolis, Ind. during the NCAA Women's Final Four.

"We are proud to honor Ms. White with the 2005 Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award," stated John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. "The combination of her success on the court and her achievements in the classroom as a student-athlete make Tan a deserving recipient who exemplifies the qualities this award is designed to celebrate."

The Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award is named in honor of James Naismith's daughter-in-law. The recipient is selected by a panel of representatives from the Women's Basketball Coaches Association. To earn the award, the recipient must demonstrate leadership, character, loyalty, all-around basketball ability and excellence in the classroom.

Previous Winners of the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award: