NEW ORLEANS – Dr. Shawn Ladda, a longtime professor in Manhattan College's Department of Physical Education & Human Performance, as well as the past president of the National Association for Girls and Women In Sports (NAGWS), was on hand to present the 2013 State Farm Wade Trophy to Baylor's Brittany Griner on Monday night. The Wade Trophy, the “Heisman of Women's Basketball,” is presented annually to the Division I Player of the Year by the NAGWS and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).
Established in 1978, the Wade Trophy is the oldest and most prestigious national player of the year award in women's college basketball. The NAGWS owns the Wade Trophy and has partnered with the WBCA and State Farm to present the award at the site of the Women's Final Four since 2001. The trophy is named after Lily Margaret Wade, the legendary coach who guided Delta State to three national championships in the 1970s. The winner is selected by the Wade Trophy Coalition, which is made up of coaches, administrators and media members across the country. Past Wade Trophy recipients include Maya Moore, Candace Parker, Diana Taurasi and Nancy Lieberman.
Griner won the Wade Trophy for the second straight season. In 2011-12, she led Baylor to a perfect 40-0 record and the National Championship. This season, the Bears went 34-2 and were the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, where they were upset by eventual national finalist Louisville in the Sweet 16. Griner is the first player in NCAA history (men or women) to tally 2,000 points and 500 blocks. She ranks second on the NCAA's all-time women's basketball scoring list with 3,283 career points, and her 748 career blocked shots are the most in NCAA history (men or women). In addition, Griner is a three-time All-American and three-time WBCA Defensive Player of the Year.
The NAGWS was established in 1899 and strives to “develop and deliver equitable and quality sport opportunities to all girls and women through relevant research, advocacy, leadership development, educational strategies and programming in a manner that promotes social justice and change.” It is one of five national associations that is a member of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), the largest organization of professionals that promote healthy lifestyles in the United States.
