Baylor WBB’s Smith Named Wade Trophy Award Finalist

[Robarts, Kyle]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – March 25, 2021

Baylor WBB’s Smith Named Wade Trophy Award Finalist
Junior power forward up for another national player of the year honor
For more information contact: Kyle Robarts, 254-405-9492, Kyle_Robarts at baylor.edu<mailto:Kyle_Robarts at baylor.edu>

Smith head shot: https://www.dropbox.com/s/q5xfe1iu1x9f4tp/BU_WBB_Smith_NaLyssa_20-21.JPG?dl=0

WACO, Texas – The accolades and consideration for further accolades continue to pour in for Baylor All-American NaLyssa Smith. Thursday, the WBCA announced four players as finalists for the Wade Trophy Award – the organization’s National Player of the Year honor – and Smith was among them.

The Lady Bears junior power forward was joined by Dana Evans of Louisville, Naz Hillman of Michigan and Rhyne Howard of Kentucky. Smith and Hillman will square off Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Sweet 16 on ABC at the Alamodome.

This season marks the 44th that the Wade Trophy will be handed out to the nation’s top player in women’s college basketball. It was named after the late Delta State Head Coach, Lily Margaret Wade, who won three-straight national championships.

Baylor has had three Wade Trophy winners in its history with Brittney Griner taking home honors in 2012 and 2013 and Odyssey Sims following up in 2014. Thursday’s announcement marks the second-straight year Baylor has had a finalist after Lauren Cox was in the final four last season.

Smith was named First-Team All-American thus far by ESPN.com and the Associated Press. She took home Big 12 Player of the Year honors, was the Most Outstanding Player of the Big 12 Championship and is still in consideration for the Naismith Trophy and the John R. Wooden Award.

She’s led Baylor to its 12th Big 12 Regular Season Championship, the 11th Big 12 Tournament Championship in program history, and the Lady Bears (27-2) are playing in their 12th-straight NCAA Sweet Sixteen Saturday vs. the Wolverines

Smith, through 29 games, has averaged 18.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game while shooting 55.1 percent from the field and 79.3 percent from the charity stripe. She’s added 35 steals on defense to go with 24 blocks for the Lady Bears.

www.BaylorBears.com


___________________________________
Kyle Robarts | Associate Director, Athletics Communications (WBB, WTEN)
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
O: 254-710-3042 | C: 254-405-9492

[cid:image001.png at 01D7215E.01B46140]<http://baylorbears.com/>
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