Tennessee’s Meighan Simmons in the running for Wade Trophy

February 5, 2013 |

Atlanta Ga – University of Tennessee “Lady Vols” stand-out Meighan Simmons has been added to the State Farm Wade Trophy “Wade Watch” list of outstanding college basketball players.  The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced Monday it’s list of outstanding players from across the country.

Joining the preseason list of 25 “Wade Watch” hopefuls are the Lady Vol junior guard, Kelsey Bone of Texas A&M, Gennifer Brandon and Layshia Clarendon of Cal Berkeley, Kelly Faris of Connecticut, Tianna Hawkins of Maryland, Chelsea Hopkins of San Diego State and Niveen Rasheed of Princeton.

The State Farm Wade Watch list will be trimmed to 12 finalists in mid-March.  State Farm and the Wade Trophy Coalition will officially announce the State Farm Wade Trophy winner during the WBCA National Convention, held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women’s Final Four® in New Orleans.

Simmons, who hails from Byron P. Steele High School in Cibolo, Texas, leads Tennessee and ranks second in the SEC in scoring this season at 17.2 points per game. Simmons, who has scored in double figures 19 times in 22 games, including seven efforts of 20 points or more, has led the No. 9/10 Lady Vols to a 17-5 overall record and 8-1 mark in the SEC, tying the squad for first place thus far.

The UT standout is scoring at an SEC-leading 19.2 points per contest in league play and ranks third in three-point field goal percentage (43.5), fourth in free throw percentage (82.1) and ninth in field goal percentage (45.1) in nine conference games. She also is ninth in minutes played at 33.6.

Earlier this season, Simmons became the 37th Lady Vol to cross the 1,000-point plateau.  She now has 1,277 points through 22 games in 2012-13 and ranks 27th on UT’s all-time scoring list. Her per game average currently ranks as the sixth-best ever registered by a Lady Vol junior.

The Wade Trophy, named after the late, legendary three-time national champion Delta State University head coach Lily Margaret Wade, debuted in 1978 as the first-ever women’s national player of the year award in college basketball. The Wade Trophy Coalition was established in June 2000 when the WBCA partnered with The National Association of Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS).  For the past 10 years the two have worked together to present The State Farm Wade Trophy player of the year award.  A committee composed of coaches, administrators and media from across the U.S. selects the winner.

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