UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State senior guard Alex Bentley (Indianapolis, Ind.) and junior Maggie Lucas (Narberth, Pa.) have each been named to the 2013 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Midseason Watch List, announced by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). Bentley and Lucas are two of 20 players on the list and the only two to represent the Big Ten. Penn State is one of five teams to have multiple players on the list, joining Connecticut, Baylor, Duke and Maryland.
The award, to be given to the National Player of the Year, will be presented at the USBWA women's awards press conference on April 7 at New Orleans Arena, home of the 2013 NCAA Women's Final Four. Lucas is one of five Ann Meyers Drysdale National Players of the Week from this season that are on the watch list.
Bentley, who is just the fourth player in Big Ten history and second player in school history with 1,500 points, 500 assists and 300 steals, is also on the 2013 Wade Trophy Watch List, the Wooden Award Top 20, the Naismith Early Season Watch List. She is one of seven final nominees for the Nancy Lieberman Award. The senior captain is currently ninth on Penn State's all-time scoring list, third on the Lady Lions' career steals list with 313 thefts and is ninth on the single-season steals list with 97 during the 2012-13 campaign. The point guard stands at third in the country in steals.
A three-time Big Ten Player of the Week this season, Lucas is also on the 2013 Wade Trophy Watch List, the Wooden Award Top 20 and the Naismith Early Season Watch List. The junior currently ranks third in the country in three-point field goal percentage, shooting at a 47.8 percent clip, and is the active Division I leader in career three-point field goal percentage (.434). Her 270 made career three-pointers puts her in a tie for third in Big Ten history and second in school history behind Kelly Mazzante. In nearly three seasons in the blue and white, Lucas has become one of the most prolific scorers in school history and is one of eight players in school history with 1,700 points. With 518 tallies this year, Lucas is just the sixth player in school history to have three seasons with 500 or more points.
Other players on the watch list include Stefanie Dolson (Connecticut), Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (Connecticut), Kelly Faris (Connecticut), Brittney Griner (Baylor), Odyssey Sims (Baylor), Chelsea Gray (Duke), Elizabeth Williams (Duke), Alyssa Thomas (Maryland), Tianna Hawkins (Maryland), Kayla Alexander (Syracuse), Kelsey Bone (Texas A&M), Gennifer Brandon (Cal), Elena Delle Donne (Delaware), Skylar Diggins (Notre Dame), Angel Goodrich (Kansas), A'dia Matthies (Kentucky), Chiney Oguwmike (Stanford) and Niveen Rasheed (Princeton). Overall, the list has nine seniors, nine juniors and two sophomores.
About the U.S. Basketball Writers AssociationThe U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.
The Lady Lions are on Twitter. Follow sports information contact Kris Petersen (@ladylionsid) and the Lady Lions and coaches (@pennstatewbb) to get the inside scoop. The Lady Lions are also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pennstateladylions.