Laksa on Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Preseason Watch List
TAMPA, NOV. 7, 2017 – The preseason recognition continues to roll in for junior guard
Kitija Laksa as the sharp-shooter was named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Preseason Watch List, the Naismith Memorial basketball Hall of Fame announced Tuesday. Laksa is one of 20 candidates on the list for top shooting guard in the country.
The Ann Meyers Drysdale Award is named after the first player, male or female, to be named to the All-America Team for four straight college seasons. The annual award in its inaugural year recognizes the top shooting guard in women's NCAA Division I college basketball.
"Ann Meyers dominated the basketball court as a standout for UCLA, surpassing records held by both men and women at the basketball powerhouse university," said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. "Recognized as the only woman to sign a contract with an NBA team, Ann has been a shining example of character and skill and we are so pleased to announce this award bearing her name."
Laksa (Riga, Latvia) was a WBCA All-America honorable mention as a sophomore and is just two points shy of 1,000 points in her career. Last season, Laksa ranked third in the league in scoring with 19.2 points per game and led the Bulls with 634 points last season, a program sophomore scoring record.
The winner of the 2018 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award will be announced at an inaugural awards ceremony hosted by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Women's Basketball Coaches Association, and ESPN at the NCAA Women's Final Four in Columbus, Ohio. ESPN broadcast information will be released at a later date.
For more information on the 2018 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, visit
http://www.hoophallawards.com.
USF opens its season Friday, Nov. 10 at the USF Sun Dome Arena. The Bulls host LSU at 5:30 p.m.
2018 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Candidates
| Darby Maggard |
Belmont |
| Katie Lou Samuelson |
Connecticut |
| Ashton Millender |
DePaul |
| Rebecca Greenwell |
Duke |
| Asia Durr |
Louisville |
| Chloe Jackson |
LSU |
| Natisha Hiedeman |
Marquette |
| Allazia Blockton |
Marquette |
| Kaila Charles |
Maryland |
| Victoria Vivians |
Mississippi State |
| Arike Ogunbowale |
Notre Dame |
| Lexi Bando |
Oregon |
| Jovana Nogic |
Providence |
| Jaycee Bradley |
South Dakota |
| Kitija Laksa |
South Florida |
| Akina Wellere |
St. John's |
| Brittany McPhee |
Stanford |
| Dannie Williams |
Texas A&M |
| Kennedy Burke |
UCLA |
| Tynice Martin |
West Virginia |
*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2017-18 season*
Season tickets are available for purchase, along with three- and five-game flex plans. Reserve your seats at USFBullsTix.com or by calling 1-800-Go-Bulls.
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USF notched its fifth consecutive 20-win season. The Bulls tallied its 20th win in their 24th contest of the season which tied the fastest any program has reached 20 wins. This is the eighth 20-win season in program history and head coach Jose Fernandez has been at the helm for all eight 20-win seasons. The 2014-15 team reached 20 wins in 24 games, and still currently holds the best record for most wins in a season (27).
USF has made 13 postseason tournament appearances and had five NCAA Tournament berths in Head Coach Jose Fernandez's 17 seasons. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has guided USF to eight 20-win seasons, two WNIT final four appearances, the 2009 WNIT championship and won more than 300 games.
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