Press Release :: Women's Basketball Coaches Association

"Jennifer Harris has contributed both fortitude and hard work to women's basketball this season, proving her to be an outstanding candidate for this award," said WBCA CEO Beth Bass. "On behalf of the WBCA, I am thrilled to present the 2006 State Farm/WBCA NCAA Division II Player of the Year Award to Jennifer."

Transferring from Trinity Valley Community College (Athens, Tex.) in 2004, Harris brought her experience of a NJCAA National Championship to Washburn University. She has finished her collegiate career as the all-time leading scorer in Washburn history averaging 24.2 points per game in 69 games. She also holds 10 of the top 25 scoring games in Washburn history and four of the top eight.

This season, Harris earned South Central Region Player of the Year, MVP by the MIAA's coaches and first team All-MIAA. She was also named the MIAA Postseason Tournament MVP and to the NCAA South Central Regional All-Tournament Team after leading all scorers with 30.7 points per game. Harris was named MIAA Player of the Week eight times, led the conference in scoring with 24.2 points per game and scored a single game, Washburn record of 39 points. Harris also holds the single season scoring record in MIAA history.

In 2004-05, the junior led the Lady Blues in scoring with 14.4 points per game and earned South Central Regional Most Valuable Player, as well as honorable mention All-MIAA and named to the MIAA All-Tournament Team.

"Congratulations to Jennifer Harris on being selected the State Farm/WBCA Player of the Year," said Mark D. Gibson, Assistant Vice President of Advertising at State Farm. "This is a wonderful honor for such an outstanding student-athlete and we concur with Beth, and look forward to seeing Jennifer 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 II Regions and the committee chair.

With being selected as the State Farm/WBCA Player of the Year for Division II, Harris will have the opportunity to participate in the WBCA College All-Star Challenge game on April 1 at Northeastern University's Matthews Arena following the WBCA High School All-America Game presented by Nike that tips off at 4:30 p.m. (ET). Harris will also be formally presented her award at the WBCA Awards Luncheon presented by State Farm and Jostens on Sunday, April 2 at 12:30 p.m. (ET) in the Hynes Convention Center Ballroom. The State Farm/WBCA Player of the Year presentation is part of the 2006 WBCA National Convention held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women's Final Four® in Boston, Mass. This year the WBCA celebrates its Silver Anniversary, marking 25 years of existence.

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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 WBCA.org.