Press Release :: Women's Basketball Coaches Association

ATLANTA - The Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) has selected Louisiana State University's senior Sylvia Fowles as the WBCA Division I National Defensive Player of the Year. The WBCA Defensive Player of the Year Award honors the best defensive collegiate Division I women's basketball player. All Division I Conference Defensive Player's of the Year are eligible to be nominated for the award and the selection committee makes the final decision on the winner.

"On behalf of our organization I am proud to present Sylvia with the WBCA Defensive Player of the Year Award," said WBCA CEO Beth Bass. "She plays with such tenacity on the defensive end of the court and is an extremely deserving candidate for this award. I wish Sylvia nothing but the best in her future endeavors."

Fowles, the SEC's Player of the Year, led the Lady Tigers to a perfect 14-0 conference ledger and the regular season conference title. A 6'6 inside presence, the senior center contributes to a stifling LSU defense that allows an average of only 50.0 points per game - a national best.

This season, Fowles led the SEC with 7.5 defensive rebounds per game while tallying 54 blocked shots, fifth most in the league. A member of the WBCA All-America Team last year, she has also averaged 17.2 points per game and 9.9 rebounds overall in 2008 and is one of 12 finalists for The State Farm Wade Trophy.

Fowles has had an illustrious career since joining LSU in the 2004-05 season, including SEC Sixth Woman of the Year and Second Team All-SEC honors as a freshman and First Team All-SEC accolades three times. She also played as a member of the United States Senior National Team in 2006 and 2007, and she earned a gold medal at the 2005 World University Games.

Fowles and the Lady Tigers earned a No. 2 seed in the New Orleans region of the 2008 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament. LSU has advanced to the NCAA Women's Final Four for the fifth straight time, joining the University of Connecticut as the only two schools in history to ever do so.

Fowles will be formally recognized at the WBCA Awards Luncheon presented by State Farm and Jostens at 12:00 p.m. (ET) on Tuesday, April 8, 2008, in the Marriott Waterside'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 Tampa Bay, Fla.

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.