UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Senior guard Alex Bentley (Indianapolis, Ind.) has been selected as the 2013 recipient of the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award, which is presented annually by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, to the nation's outstanding female collegian 5-feet-8-inches and under who has excelled both athletically and academically. She is the third Lady Lion to win the honor, joining Suzie McConnell (1988) and Helen Darling (2000) as Penn Staters to win the award.
Basketball Hall of Fame President and CEO John Doleva commented, "Alex Bentley represents all the finest qualities of a four-year student-athlete. Her leadership translates from the court to the classroom and back again. We are proud to honor Alex as the 2013 Pomeroy-Naismith award winner."
Bentley is a three-time All-Big Ten first team selection and two-time Big Ten All-Defensive team choice. She is the fifth player in school history to earn All-Big Ten first team accolades three times in her career. The Indianapolis native has been the floor general for the Lady Lions her entire career, extending the string of four-year starting point guards at Penn State. Bentley leads the Big Ten and is in the Top 5 nationally in steals with a 3.7 per game average. She is also just the fourth player in school history to notch 100 steals in a season, joining Suzie McConnell (four times), Corinne Gulas (twice) and Helen Darling (once) as the only other players to accomplish the feat. Additionally, she is in the top 15 in the Big Ten in scoring (11th - 14.0), assists (9th - 3.6), free throw percentage (9th - .813) and assist-to-turnover ratio (3rd - 1.8).
The Indianapolis, Ind. native is just the fourth player in Big Ten history and second player in Lady Lion history to accumulate 1,500 points, 500 assists and 300 steals. Bentley joins the Big Ten list that includes: Yvette Angel, Ohio State (1982-85; 1,563-562-326), Tamara Moore, Wisconsin (1999-02; 1,662-554-353) and Katie Douglas, Purdue (1998-01; 1,965-526-327). Additionally, Bentley joins Suzie McConnell (1985-88; 1,897-1,307-507) as the only Lady Lions to accomplish the feat. Bentley currently ranks second all-time in steals (319), eighth in points (1,726), eighth in assists (556) and ninth in games played (127).Off the court the broadcast journalism major has volunteered her time by visiting local hospitals, speaking at local elementary schools, working with Special Olympics, the YMCA, the Centre County Women's Resource Center and participating in a variety of basketball clinics in the University Park, Pa., area.
The Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award is named in honor of basketball inventor Dr. James Naismith's daughter-in-law. A panel of representatives from the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) selects the recipient. To earn the award, the recipient must demonstrate leadership, character, loyalty, all-around basketball ability and excellence in the classroom.
Bentley will be formally recognized during the third annual WBCA Awards Show, which will be held at 5 p.m. Monday, April 8, in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center's New Orleans Theater. This event is part of the WBCA National Convention and is held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women's Final Four® in New Orleans.
The Lady Lions will travel to Hoffman Estates for the 2013 Big Ten Tournament. Penn State will serve as the top seed in the tourney for the seconds-straight season and will face the winner of #8 Minnesota vs. #9 Ohio State at 7 p.m. (ET) on March 8 in the quarterfinals. The semifinal is March 9 and championship game is March 10. The Lady Lions are 24-16 all-time in the BTT, claiming titles in the first two tourneys (1995, 1996).
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.