WBCA Hosts Luncheon To Honor Coaches, Players and Media

By Julia M. Coleman: SPM FL Writer
Posted Wednesday, April 9, 2008

TAMPA, Fla. – Each year the Women's Basketball Coaches Association holds its annual convention in conjunction with the NCAA Women's Final Four, and one of the highlights is its Awards Luncheon, recognizing players, coaches, and assistants across all divisions.

This year the luncheon was held on Tuesday, April 8th, at the Tampa Marriott Waterside and hosted by sports analysts Beth Mowins and Debbie Antonelli, who served as emcees for the event, which was sponsored by Jostens and State Farm.

Although the Wade Trophy was awarded earlier in the week, Candice Wiggins was in attendance and was presented the award in front of this much larger audience. Unlike Saturday morning, when Wiggins appeared to be caught off-guard, more flabbergasted than eloquent, her remarks today were generous, gracious, and sincere.

“I have so many people that are behind me. I want to thank my mother - she has known from day one … I want to thank her for all she has done for me from day one … my whole family … my head coach Tara VanDerveer. ”

Wiggins was accompanied to the ceremony by VanDerveer, and they left as soon as she delivered her acceptance speech. Mowins and Antonelli made mention of Wiggins and VanDerveer having other things they needed to attend to later that day, referring to that evening’s championship game.

Sylvia Fowles, Louisiana State University senior center, was awarded the WBCA Defensive Player of the Year. Mowins and Antonelli called her to the stage where she stood alongside WBCA CEO Beth Bass, while her player biography was being read.

Fowles’ accomplishments are plentiful and as such, this reading went on for quite some time. During that time, Bass, who was eye-level with Fowles’ biceps, continually looked over at them, eventually reaching over and tweaking them as if testing to see if they were as rock-hard as they appeared to everyone in attendance. This brought a roar of laughter from the crowd and flattered giggle from Fowles.

The awards ceremony moved quickly from that point forward.

Longtime Knoxville News-Sentinel sport writer, Dan Fleser, was awarded the Mel Greenberg Media Award for his noteworthy coverage of the University of Tennessee Lady Vols for the past 20 years.

A complete list of all award winners can be found on the WBCA's website.