Thursday Cardinal Couple -- Wading into the Wade

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THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- Schimmel placed on Wade Watch List

The candidates for the Margaret Wade Trophy watch list have been announced. The Wade Trophy is awarded annually to the best player in women's college basketball. 

Shoni Schimmel, a junior guard at the University of Louisville is on the Wade watch list. This does not mean someone has to keep an eye on her if she takes a dip in the ocean or pool. It basically breaks down to this: she's considered one of the best 25 players in college basketball this year. 

Last year's winner Brittney Griner is back again and is probably the odds-on favorite for a repeat. Since 2000, two women's college basketball players have pulled off the double...one of them getting the honor three years in a row. Any guesses on who? One is pretty obvious...Maya Moore was selected as the recipient in 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11. The other maybe a surprise to most of you (Sonja guessed Candace Parker) but it is Seimone Augustus 2004-05 and 2005-06. 

Since its inception in 1978, the award has been given to UConn players seven times. Besides Moore's three wins, can you name anyone else from UConn who received it? Here's a few hints. Two of them just played on the Olympic team. One is a broadcaster on ESPN and the other is the head womens' basketball coach at Hartford. The answers are Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Rebecca Lobo and Jen Rizzotti. 

Who will win this year? If she stays healthy and has a season like last year...Griner should repeat. Skylar Diggins is standing ready to pick up the pieces if Griner should falter. A couple of Kentucky high school players are also nominated...Adia Mathies and Anna Martin.

Here's a list of the winners since the turn of the century.

2000-01              Jackie Styles          SW Missouri St.
2001-02              Sue Bird                 Connecticut
2002-03              Diana Taurasi         Connecticut
2003-04              Alana Beard            Duke
2004-05              Seimone Augustus  LSU
2005-06              "         "   "       "     "  "
2006-07              Candace Parker      Tennessee
2007-08              Candice Wiggins     Stanford
2008-09              Maya Moore            Connecticut
2009-10              "     "  "      "            "      "      "
2010-11              "     "  "      "            "      "      "
2011-12              Brittney Griner        Baylor

That's right....Angel McCoughtry never won the award. She would have been a good choice in the 2008-09 season but Moore, as a sophomore, led UConn to the title and beat out McCoughtry. 

Shoni isn't the only current UofL women's basketball player to be nominated to the list. Senior Monique Reid was nominated before the 2011-12 season began. 

To be considered one of the best 25 players in your sport is quite an honor. Louisville has two such players on the roster. Let's hope Shoni, Monique and the rest of the Lady Cards are on a watch list to win the BIG EAST title and "wade" into the NCAA Tournament with a great seed. 

41 days until the UofL womens' basketball team plays the first game...an exhibition against Eckerd College. 
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