WKU senior All-American candidate Chastity Gooch has been added to the 2014-15 "Wade Watch" list by the Wade Trophy Committee, it was announced on Tuesday morning by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, on behalf of the Wade Trophy Coalition.
The Wade Trophy Coalition presents The Wade Trophy to the nation's most outstanding NCAA® Division I women's basketball player each year - one who not only excels athletically, but also serves as a positive role model both on and off the court. The acclaimed Wade Watch list, from which The Wade Trophy recipient is chosen, consists of players selected on the basis of game and season statistics, leadership, character, overall playing ability and the positive impact on her respective team.
Gooch is one of five players added to the original list of 25 players that make up an elite and exclusive club of the nation's elite players. Gooch was added to the list alongside Ameryst Alston of Ohio State, Niya Johnson of Baylor, Courtney Williams of South Florida and Amanda Zahui B. of Minnesota.
Gooch is the first WKU player to be named to the Wade Trophy Watch List since Crystal Kelly earned the honor in 2006-07 and 2007-08.
Gooch is averaging 16.9 points per game in 2014-15 while pulling down 7.2 rebounds per contest. She has also blocked 34 shots and grabbed 58 steals. She is currently shooting nearly 50.0 percent from the field and 41.8 percent from behind the three-point arc, making her one of the more versatile posts in the nation. She also knocks down 77.1 percent of her free throw attempts. Gooch currently ranks among the top 10 in career scoring, rebounds, blocks and steals at WKU.
The Lady Toppers are enjoying one of the best seasons in the storied history of women's basketball at WKU. At 23-4, WKU is in first place in the Conference USA standings entering the final two weeks of the season with a 12-2 mark in league play. Earlier this season, WKU reached the championship game of the 2014 Preseason Women's NIT with a win at Colorado and at home against American East favorite Albany. WKU also beat Ole Miss by 29 points on Dec. 4, 2014 in a 98-69 decision. Since then, the Rebels have posted SEC wins over Kentucky, Georgia and Arkansas. WKU also owns wins over OVC favorite Belmont, MAC West leader Ball State and Tulane - one of the top teams in the AAC. WKU also has 10 road wins in 2014-15 as they became the third quickest team in the nation to reach the 10-road win mark in the nation.
The Wade Watch list will be trimmed to 12 finalists in mid-March. The Wade Trophy Coalition will officially announce The Wade Trophy winner during the WBCA National Convention, held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women's Final Four® in Tampa Bay.
The Wade Trophy, named after the late, legendary head coach Lilly Margaret Wade, a three-time national champion at Delta State University, 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), an association of SHAPE America - the Society of Health and Physical Educators. For the past 12 years the two have worked together to present The Wade Trophy player of the year award. A committee composed of coaches, administrators and media from across the U.S. selects the winner.
The Lady Toppers return to action on Thursday, Feb. 26 when it takes on the Owls of Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton, Fla. Tipoff is set for 6:00 p.m. CT on Thursday evening with the game available on the C-USA Digital Network.