Wilson Named Semifinalist For Citizen Naismith Trophy

Feb. 26, 2018

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina senior forward A’ja Wilson has been selected as a national semifinalist for the 2018 Citizen Naismith Trophy Women’s Player of the Year, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Monday. Wilson is one of 10 players in contention for the national honor.

The four national finalists will be announced on March 16 with voting on the winner extending through the end of the month. Fans will help determine the winner by casting their vote on NaismithTrophy.com/vote between March 19-30. The fan component will count for five percent of the overall final vote, and this year’s winner will be revealed on March 31.

Wilson has been selected as a finalist for the Naismith Trophy in each of the previous two years.

The Hopkins, S.C., native leads the SEC in points (22.9) and blocks (3.3) per game this season, and her 12.0 rebounds per contest rank 10th in NCAA Division I. She has totaled a team-high 19 double-doubles and has led the Gamecocks in rebounds in 23 of her 26 outings this season. Wilson, one of two Gamecocks to reach 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds, sits 29 away from Carolina’s all-time individual scoring record.

The No. 7/6 Gamecocks open play at the 2018 SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament in the quarterfinal round on Fri., March 2, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. The second-seeded Gamecocks will face either 10th-seeded Auburn or seventh-seeded Tennessee.

Naismith Trophy National Semifinalists
Kalani Brown, Baylor
Jordin Canada, UCLA
Asia Durr, Louisville
Sabrina Ionescu, Oregon
Kelsey Mitchell, Ohio State
Arike Ogunbowale, Notre Dame
Katie Lou Samuelson, UConn
Victoria Vivians, Mississippi State
Gabby Williams, UConn
A’ja Wilson, South Carolina