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Bird watching UConn guard leads women's All-America team
NEW YORK (AP) -- Sue Bird, the floor leader for No. 1-ranked Connecticut, leads The Associated Press' preseason All-America team in women's basketball. Bird was the top vote-getter Wednesday on the five-player team chosen by a national media panel. The senior point guard, the preseason player of the year in the Big East, was named on 43 of 45 ballots. Bird was joined on the team by Chantelle Anderson of Vanderbilt, Stacey Dales of Oklahoma, LaToya Thomas of Mississippi State and Alana Beard of Duke. Anderson and Dales each received 39 votes, Thomas 26 and Beard 24. "Wow, I am really honored and excited to be the leading vote-getter at this point," Bird said. "But it's a long process and I just want to do the best I can to help my team come out on top." Bird has never been a big scorer at UConn, but her steadying presence on the floor has been invaluable. Her importance was apparent when she tore a ligament in her right knee eight games into the 1998-99 season. The Huskies struggled in big games after that and did not make it past the regional semifinals. With Bird healthy the following season, UConn won the national championship. Connecticut reached the Final Four again last season, when Bird averaged 10.9 points and five assists. "Whatever the case may be, we know that she can lead us and get it done," teammate Swin Cash said. Anderson, a 6-foot-6 junior, leads a Vanderbilt team that returns almost everyone after reaching the NCAA regional finals last season. She led the nation in field goal percentage at .723 while averaging 21.2 points and 6.3 rebounds. She even hit four 3-pointers. "This is really exciting," Anderson said. "It is such an honor to be thought of among the best players in the nation. This is a direct result of the hard work by myself, my coaches and my teammates. They all work very hard to make me look good." Dales, the only first-team All-American returning from last season, is the preseason player of the year in the Big 12. The guard led the Sooners in scoring (16.0) and assists (7.3) last season and was second in rebounding (5.1) and steals (2.4). "I am excited and honored for this recognition, but most of all I'm very enthusiastic about where our season is headed," Dales said. "I think our team will do some great things this year. Our potential is going to surprise some people, even with our preseason rankings." Oklahoma, the defending Big 12 champion, is ranked fourth. Thomas, a 6-2 junior, became an impact player the minute she set foot on the Mississippi State court as a freshman. She led the Southeastern Conference in scoring last season (24.3), finished third in rebounding (8.5) and shot 54.8 percent. "I don't talk about personal goals, but this is a great honor," Thomas said. "But without the team, I wouldn't have been able to earn the recognition that I have these last few years." Beard was sensational as a freshman last season, averaging 17 points and shooting 51 percent despite missing four games because of a dislocated thumb. Her 106 steals were a school record and her 33 points against Maryland were the most ever by a Duke freshman. "This is an honor to be named along with the other outstanding players," Beard said. "They are the best players in the country, but I cannot really focus on that right now because I am trying to get our team ready for the season." Thomas and Anderson both were second-team All-Americans last season and Bird was a third-team pick. Beard received honorable mention.
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