Chantelle Anderson has been named a Top 20 finalist for the Naismith Award

FINALISTS  NAMED FOR MEN’S and WOMEN'S NAISMITH COLLEGE BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS
The Coca-Cola Company To Be Presenting Sponsor for 2003

(Atlanta, GA, February 19, 2003) —Jackie Bradford, President of the Atlanta Tipoff Club, announced today the twenty collegiate men and women finalists for the Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year Award.

The Naismith Board of Selectors, which includes some the country’s leading basketball coaches, journalists and administrators, began the selection process earlier this year and have reduced the number of finalist by balloting to the twenty top male and female players they felt most deserving of the award.

The winners of the Naismith Awards, the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball, will be honored in Atlanta on Friday, April 11, 2003.

The finalists for the Naismith College Player of the Year Award (listed alphabetically) are as follows:

MEN                                                                   

Mario Austin/Mississippi State

Keith Bogans/Kentucky

Matt Bonner/Florida

Nick Collison/Kansas

Brian Cook/Illinois

Chris Duhon/Duke

T.J. Ford/Texas

Reese Gaines/Louisville

Jason Gardner/Arizona

Jarvis Hayes/Georgia

Kirk Hinrich/Kansas

Josh Howard/Wake Forest

Brandin Knight/Pittsburgh

Kyle Korver/Creighton

Hollis Price/Oklahoma

Mike Sweetney/Georgetown

Chris Thomas/Notre Dame

Dwayne Wade/Marquette

Luke Walton/Arizona

David West/Xavier

WOMEN

Chantelle Anderson/Vanderbilt

Alana Beard/Duke

Kara Braxton/Georgia

Coretta Brown/UNC

Shameka Christon/Arkansas

Gwen Jackson/Tennessee

Kara Lawson/Tennessee

Kelly Mazzante/Penn State

Nicole Ohlde/Kansas State

Jocelyn Penn/South Carolina

Plenette Pierson/Texas Tech

Nicole Powell/Stanford

Aiysha Smith/LSU

Stacy Stephens/Texas

Diana Taurasi/University of Connecticut

LaToya Thomas/Mississippi State

Iciss Tillis/Duke

Kendra Wecker/Kansas State

Lindsay Whalen/Minnesota

Shereka Wright/Purdue                                         

The Coca-Cola Company will be the presenting sponsor of the Naismith College Basketball Awards for 2003.  The entitlement complements the Company’s new 11-year NCAA partnership as a corporate champion.

“We are proud to be associated with the most coveted award in college basketball and such an outstanding organization,” said Chuck Fruit, senior vice president, worldwide media and alliances, The Coca-Cola Company.  “Coca-Cola has always been a strong supporter of collegiate athletics.  Having the opportunity to participate in recognizing outstanding basketball achievement is a natural extension of the values we share with the Atlanta Tipoff Club.”

The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest beverage company and is the leading producer and marketer of soft drinks.  Along with Coca-Cola, recognized as the world's best-known brand, The Coca-Cola Company markets four of the world's top five soft drink brands, including diet Coke, Fanta and Sprite.  Through the world's largest distribution system, consumers in nearly 200 countries enjoy The Coca-Cola Company's products at a rate of more than 1 billion servings each day. 

The Naismith Awards program, now in its 35th year, honors the outstanding college basketball players in the United States. The awards program was founded by the Atlanta Tipoff Club, an organization dedicated to recognizing the achievements of excellence in basketball for student athletes.  Please visit our web page at for more information on the Naismith Awards and past winners.