ATLANTA – Rhyne Howard junior from Kentucky, finalist in 2020, and freshman Paige Bueckers (UConn), who won the 2020 Mike’s Naismith High School Trophy, lead the list of candidates for the 2021 Mike’s Naismith Jersey Trophy, symbol of the greatest individual honor prestige in college basketball. The list of finalists, completed by Dana Evans, a Louisville veteran, and Aliyah Boston, a sophomore from South Carolina, was announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club today.
The finalists emerged from a group of 10 semifinalists and were selected by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s national voting academy, comprised of leading journalists from around the country, current and former coaches, former award winners and conference curators, all based on excellent court performances during the regular college basketball season 2020-21. The next round of voting runs from March 19-31, with the winner being announced live on the CBS Sports Network’s NCAA® March Madness® 360 studio program on April 3.
TOURNAMENT 2021: Live coverage of the women’s basketball championship
“Despite the challenges of the pandemic, once the games started, it became very clear which players emerged as the top contenders for Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy,” said Eric Oberman, executive director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “The consistency of each finalist throughout the season and the ability to dominate the games make them among the best players, and we look forward to honoring one of them at the end of the season.”
Once again, fans will have a say in who wins the main honor by participating in the Naismith Awards Fan Vote hosted by Jersey Mike’s. Visiting naismithfanvote.com from March 19-31, fans will have the opportunity to vote daily for the Men’s and Women’s College Jersey Naismith Trophy for Men’s and Women’s College of the Year and the Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year awards. There will also be opportunities to vote for your favorite female player on the @NaismithTrophy Twitter page. The fan vote will account for five percent of the overall vote, which will be tabulated and certified by Aprio, a leading Atlanta-based CPA-led business consultancy.
SUPPORT: See the official NCAA women’s tournament key here
Later this year, the winner will receive the Jersey Mike Naismith Trophy, produced and supplied by Herff Jones, a leading provider of educational and undergraduate products and services designed to inspire achievement and create memorable experiences for students. A replica of the trophy will be donated by Herff Jones to the winner’s university.
About the finalists:
Aliyah Boston, South Carolina
- Boston led the Gamecocks in rebounds (11.7) and blocks (2.8) this season and averaged 13.7 points per game.
- The second year striker led the team in pairs (15).
- Boston joined the 2021 All-SEC First Team for the second consecutive season and was nominated for the SEC All-Defensive team and SEC co-Defensive Player of the Year for their dominant defensive performance throughout the 2021 season.
- She received MVP honors from the SEC tournament for her performance of 27 points and 10 rebounds in the title game. In addition to her finalist classification, she is a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year semifinalist.
Paige Bueckers, UConn
- Bueckers became the second BIG EAST player to win the Freshmen of the Year and Player of the Year awards (Maya Moore, 2008).
- She had the highest total score in a single game by a UConn freshman since 2007, with 32 points.
- The freshman striker was the first player in the program’s history to have three consecutive 30-point games.
- His 14 assists against Butler were considered the biggest win in a single game in the program’s history.
- Bueckers took UConn to the regular season and tournament championships at BIG EAST.
COACH OF THE YEAR: See the 4 finalists for 2021 coach honors
Dana Evans, Louisville
- The senior striker leads the ACC with a score of 20.0 points per game.
- Evans is the only player in the program’s history to win four regular season conference championships.
- She scored double digits in 25 of the 26 games played this season, including 40 consecutive games, the longest streak in Louisville in 20 years.
- Elected ACC Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, Evans became the ninth player in league history to accomplish the feat.
- He made 92% of the free throw attempts, leading the ACC and occupying the fifth place in the national ranking.
Rhyne Howard
- Howard averaged 20.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game this season.
- The junior guard led Kentucky this season in scoring, rebounds and assists and was the only SEC player to lead his team in these three categories.
- In her 11 games against ranked opponents, she averaged more than 22 points per game this season, hitting more than 40% of 3 in those games.
- Named Player of the Year in 2021 SEC for the second year in a row, Howard became one of two players in the program’s history to earn multiple Player of the Year honors.
- She was also nominated for the 2021 All-SEC First Team for the third consecutive season and the SEC All-Tournament team for the second consecutive year.
“Jersey Mike’s congratulates the top four candidates for the 2021 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy,” said Rich Hope, director of marketing for Jersey Mike’s Franchise Systems, Inc. “They are impressive student-athletes who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership and resilience in one year challenger . “
For more information, visit naismithtrophy.com.
ABOUT ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB Founded during the 1956-57 season, the Atlanta Tipoff Club is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the remarkable achievements of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club runs the Naismith Awards, the most prestigious national honors in college and high school basketball. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the basketball game, the Naismith Awards family annually recognizes the most outstanding male and female basketball players and coaches. Other Naismith awards are given to defensive male and female college basketball players of the year, as well as overall work awards for basketball officials and prominent contributors to the game. UCLA’s Lew Alcindor received the first Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy in 1969, while the late Anne Donovan (Old Dominion) was the first female award winner in 1983. Naismith Awards corporate partners include Jersey Mike’s and Werner Ladder.
ABOUT JERSEY MIKE SUBS Jersey Mike’s Subs, with more than 2,500 open and developing locations across the country, serves authentic fresh sliced / grilled fresh sandwiches on freshly baked bread in the store – the same recipe from 1956. The passion for giving in local Jersey communities Mike is reflective of his mission statement “Give … make a difference in someone’s life.” For more information, visit jerseymikes.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.