Semifinalists: 2016 Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year

Four finalists will be announced Friday, March 18, 2016. The winner of the award will be announced Monday, April 4, 2016.

The Naismith Awards were founded by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to recognize accomplished athletes, coaches, officials and contributors to high school and college basketball. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, the creator of the game of basketball, the first Naismith trophy was awarded in 1969 to UCLA’s Lew Alcindor, later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The trophy was sculpted by Marty C. Dawe of Atlanta and has become among the most prestigious national honors awarded each year to top basketball players in the nation. The Women’s Player of the Year Award was first given to Anne Donovan of Old Dominion University in 1983.

Semifinalists

NAME	SCHOOL	CLASS	POSITION	CONFERENCE
Rachel Banham	Minnesota	Sr.	G	Big 10
Nina Davis	Baylor	Jr.	F	Big 12
Moriah Jefferson	Connecticut	Sr.	G	American Athletic
Kelsey Mitchell	Ohio State	Soph.	G	Big Ten
Tiffany Mitchell	South Carolina	Sr.	G	SEC
Kelsey Plum	Washington	Jr.	G	Pac 12
Breanna Stewart	Connecticut	Sr.	F	American Athletic
Brianna Turner	Notre Dame	Soph.	F	ACC
Shatori Walker-Kimbrough	Maryland	Jr.	G	Big Ten
A’Ja Wilson	South Carolina	Soph.	F	SEC