SPRINGFIELD, MASS. - Lindsey Harding, a senior guard from Duke University, is the 2007 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.

Harding, a native of Houston, Texas, has moved from the shadows to the spotlight this season leading the Blue Devils to a spotless regular season record and #1 National Ranking in the USA TODAY ESPN NCAA Division I Top 25 Coaches’ Poll.  Posting averages of nearly 15 points, four assists and four boards per game on top of a steady 40 percent shooting behind the arc, Harding has been a key factor to Duke’s success thus far this season.  Only grazing the surface of the awards yet to come, Harding has already been selected as the ACC Player of the Year, ACC Defensive Player of the Year and was named an All-ACC First Team selection.

During the 2005-2006 season, Harding was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Kodak All-America Team Honorable Mention and All-ACC Second Team.  Harding’s defensive threat was vital in the Blue Devils’ trip to the national championship game last season.

The fifth year senior is currently finishing up the requirements for a minor in Women’s Studies.  Harding has already completed a degree in Sociology along with a Markets & Management certificate and a minor in Theater Studies.  Over the summer of 2005, Harding performed an internship with CBS Sports in the production department and has aspirations to go into sports broadcasting.  She is also actively involved in the Durham community, especially with Special Olympics.

“We are proud to honor Ms. Harding with the 2007 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 her 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. A panel of representatives from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association selects the recipient. To earn the award, the recipient must demonstrate leadership, character, loyalty, all-around basketball ability and excellence in the classroom. 

Harding will be formally recognized at the WBCA Awards Luncheon presented by State Farm and Jostens at 12:00 p.m. (ET) on Tuesday, April 3, 2007, in the Crowne Plaza’s Grand Ballroom.  This event is part of the WBCA National Convention and is held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women’s Final Four® in Cleveland, Ohio.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame pays tribute to the game's inventor, Dr. James Naismith. Located in Springfield, Mass., “the Birthplace of Basketball”, the world's only Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves men’s and women’s basketball at every level - professional, collegiate, scholastic, Olympic, international and wheelchair.

Previous Winners of the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award

1984 Kim Mulkey, Louisiana Tech
1985 Maria Stack, Gonzaga
1986 Kamie Ethridge, Texas
1987 Rhonda Windham, Southern California
1988 Suzie McConnell, Penn State
1989 Paulette Backstrom, Bowling Green
1990 Julie Dabrowski, New Hampshire College
1991 Shanya Evans, Providence College
1992 Rosemary Kisorek, West Virginia
1993 Dena Evans, Virginia
1994 Nicole Levesque, Wake Forest
1995 Amy Dodrill, Johns Hopkins
1996 Jennifer Rizzotti, University of Connecticut
1997 Jennifer Howard, North Carolina State
1998 Angie Arnold, Johns Hopkins
1999 Becky Hammon, Colorado State
2000 Helen Darling, Penn State
2001 Niele Ivey, Notre Dame
2002 Sheila Lambert, Baylor
2003 Kara Lawson, Tennessee
2004 Erika Valek, Purdue
2005 Tan White, Mississippi State
2006 Megan Duffy, Notre Dame

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 a for women and girls. For more information about the WBCA, please visit WBCA.org.