Press Release :: Women's Basketball Coaches Association

ATLANTA - The Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) announced today that Howard Payne University senior Meia Daniels has been named the State Farm/WBCA National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Player of the Year. The WBCA presents this award annually to the top players in each of the following WBCA collegiate divisions (NCAA Divisions II, III, NAIA and JC/CC) and high school.

"The WBCA is thrilled to present Meia Daniels with the State Farm/WBCA NCAA Division III Player of the Year honors," said WBCA CEO Beth Bass. "She has had a tremendous season and is very worthy of this award."

Daniels, the American Southwest Conference (ASC) West Division Player of the Year, has led the Yellow Jackets to a perfect 31-0 record heading into the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship semifinals on March 21. In their most recent game against No. 1 Hope College, the senior guard paced Howard Payne with 37 points in a 53-49 win to advance in the tournament. Daniels is averaging 19.7 points per game on the season, and she ranks third in the nation with 4.5 steals per game. She also leads her team with a 37.9 three-point field goal percentage and 101 assists.

The Fort Worth, Texas, native earned ASC West Division Player of the Week accolades three times this season, and she was named to the D3Hoops.com National Team of the Week on January 6. She has eclipsed 2,000 points, 300 steals and 300 assists in her four-year career at Howard Payne.

"Congratulations to State Farm/WBCA NCAA Division III Player of the Year Meia Daniels," said Mark D. Gibson, assistant vice president of advertising at State Farm. "Her outstanding accomplishments as a student-athlete, on and off the court, make her truly deserving of this wonderful honor. We look forward to seeing Meia fulfill the rest of her basketball dreams."

The State Farm/WBCA Player of the Year Award is selected by the nine-member WBCA Player of the Year Committee, which consists of one WBCA-member coach from each of the eight WBCA Division III Regions and the committee chair.

Daniels will also be formally presented her award at the WBCA Awards Luncheon presented by State Farm and Jostens on Tuesday, April 8, 2008, at Noon (ET) in the Marriott Waterside's Grand Ballroom. The luncheon is part of the WBCA National Convention, held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women's Final Four® in Tampa Bay, Fla.

About State Farm
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About the WBCA
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 as a sport for women and girls. For additional information about the WBCA, please visit wbca.org.