Stanford's Wiggins wins Wade Trophy

Apr 5, 2008 - 4:39 PM ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Stanford senior Candice Wiggins on Saturday was named the winner of the Wade Trophy, presented annually to the Division I women's college basketball Player of the Year.

Wiggins helped lead the Cardinal (34-3) to their second Final Four in school history. Stanford will face Connecticut on Sunday for a spot in the national championship game.

Wiggins is the Pac-10 Conference's leading scorer, averaging 20.2 points per game. She recently became the first player in history to have two 40-point games in the NCAA Tournament.

The California native scored a career-high 44 points in a second round-win over Texas-El Paso, then added 41 against Maryland in the "Elite Eight."

"Candice Wiggins demonstrates what this award is about," said Beth Bass, the CEO of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, which presents the award. "She is not only a force on the court, but is also a great role model in the community."

The Wade Trophy, now in its 31st year, is named after the late Lily Margaret Wade, who coached Delta State to three consecutive national championships in the 1970s.