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<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><a name="OLE_LINK11"></a><a name="OLE_LINK12"></a><a name="OLE_LINK23"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">BAYLOR
ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – </span></b></span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">March 6, 2021</span></b></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><u><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Impact",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><a name="OLE_LINK9"></a><a name="OLE_LINK10"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK9"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Smith
Named to Wooden Award National Ballot for Baylor WBB</span></b></span></a></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK10"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK9"><u><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Impact",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></span></span></span></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK9"></span><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK10"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Junior Lady Bear among 15 players up for NPOY and Wooden All-America Teams</span></b></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Impact",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">For more information contact: </span></b></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Kyle
Robarts, 254-405-9492, </span></span></span><a href="mailto:Kyle_Robarts@baylor.edu"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#954F72">Kyle_Robarts@baylor.edu</span></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"></span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Smith head shot</span></b></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">:
</span></span></span><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/q5xfe1iu1x9f4tp/BU_WBB_Smith_NaLyssa_20-21.JPG?dl=0"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">https://www.dropbox.com/s/q5xfe1iu1x9f4tp/BU_WBB_Smith_NaLyssa_20-21.JPG?dl=0</span></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"></span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><strong><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">WACO, Texas – </span></strong></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">Baylor
junior power forward NaLyssa Smith earned a spot on the 2021 National Ballot for the John R. Wooden Award presented by Wendy’s, the Los Angeles Athletic Club announced Saturday. Smith joins 14<sup>th</sup> other college basketball elites who are candidates
for the Wooden Award All-American Team and Wooden Award Trophy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">The Wooden Award Trophy recognizes the most outstanding college basketball
player in the United States. Brittney Griner was a two-time winner of the trophy in 2012 and 2013, and five Lady Bears have landed eight All-America selections from the John Wooden Award in its history.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">Smith has started all 22 games for the No. 6-ranked Baylor Lady Bears
at power forward and leads the team in a myriad of offensive categories. Her team-leading 18.1 points per contest ranks 9<sup>th</sup> in the Big 12 while her 9.3 rebounds a game is fourth in the league. She leads Baylor in both field goal percentage (.535,
2<sup>nd</sup> in Big 12) and free-throw percentage (.817, 5<sup>th</sup> in Big 12).<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">The junior from Converse, Texas has 20-straight games with double-figure
points to go along with nine double-doubles on the season. Her 3.32 offensive rebounds per contest ranks third in the Big 12, and she surpassed the 1,000-career points mark vs. Texas, Feb. 14. She ranks fifth all-time on Baylor’s career list for field-goal
percentage at a .552 clip.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">Smith’s junior season is proving to live up to the hype that saw her
earn Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year honors along with an honorable mention All-America nod from the
<i>Associated Press. </i>She is on the short, 11-person list, for the Naismith Trophy Award for nation’s top player, and she’s still in contention for national player of the year honors as a Wade Trophy semifinalist.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">The finalists for the 2021 Wooden Award will be announced March 26 with
voting taking place from March 16-23.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK12"><span style="mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK11"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">www.BaylorBears.com</span></span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black">___________________________________</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#006132">Kyle Robarts</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#006132"> </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">| Associate Director, Athletics Communications (WBB, WTEN)</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Department of Athletics | Baylor University</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">O: 254-710-3042 | C: 254-405-9492</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:4.0pt;color:black"> </span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://baylorbears.com/"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="160" height="44" style="width:1.6666in;height:.4583in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D7129B.1A711B50"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
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