Oct. 26, 2004
WACO, Texas - Lady Bear basketball player Sophia Young is one of five players named preseason All-Big 12 by the league's coaches the conference office announced today. In addition, Steffanie Blackmon was listed as an honorable mention by the coaches.
Kansas State senior forward Kendra Wecker was named Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year. Texas junior forward Daria Mieloszynska and Texas Tech sophomore center Patrice Edwards were chosen co-Big 12 Newcomers of the Year and Oklahoma forward Stephanie McGhee was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year. Young is joined on the preseason team by Kansas State's Kendra Wecker and Texas' Tiffany Jackson, Heather Schreiber and Jamie Carey.
Young, a 6-1 junior forward, who hails from St. Vincent, West Indies, is the Big 12's top returning rebounder for the second consecutive year. She has been named to numerous presesaon All-American lists including Street & Smith, Lindy's and Athlon's and is on the prestigious Wade Trophy watch list. Last season Young was a first-team All-Big 12 selection as a sophomore and was named to the all-tournament team at the Big 12 Tournament in Dallas. Young led the team and was among the Big 12's leaders in both scoring and rebounding with 16.7 points and 8.6 rebounds a game.
Blackmon, a Dallas native, is on the preseason watch lists for Wooden Award and Wade Trophy and was named to Women's Wooden Award Preseason All-American Team. Last season she was named first-team All-Big 12 after averaging 15.6 points and 6.9 rebound a game.
2004-05 Big 12 Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Team
(coaches not allowed to vote for own players)
Preseason Player of the Year
Kendra Wecker, Kansas State, F, 5-11, Sr, Marysville, Kan./Marysville
Preseason Newcomers of the Year
Daria Mieloszynska, Texas, F, 6-2, Jr, Poznan, Poland/Illinois Central Junior College
Patrice Edwards, Texas Tech, C, 6-6, So, Trinidad-Tobago, West Indies/Frank Phillips College
Preseason Freshman of the Year
Stephanie McGhee, Oklahoma, G/F, 6-0, Fr, Howe, Okla./Howe
Preseason All-Big 12 Team
Kendra Wecker, Kansas State, Forward
Tiffany Jackson, Texas, Forward
Sophia Young, Baylor, Forward
Heather Schreiber, Texas, Forward
Jamie Carey, Texas, Guard
Honorable Mention (listed alphabetically by school)
Baylor: Steffanie Blackmon; Iowa State: Anne O'Neil; Kansas State: Laurie Koehn, Megan Mahoney; Oklahoma: Dionnah Jackson; Texas Tech: Erin Grant, Alesha Robertson
