Press

Detroit, MI, March 29, 2002

The 2002 Conseco Nancy Lieberman Step Up Award winner is Sue Bird from the University of Connecticut. This is Sue's third consecutive year of winning the award. The honor recognizes the nation's top collegiate point guard in women's Division I basketball. Sue, a senior, is also this year's:

• Naismith Player of the Year
• National Player of the Year by the United States Basketball Writers Association
• Associated Press First Team All-American (averaged 13.7 points and 5.9 assists during the regular season)
• Big East Player of the Year

The Huskies are back at the Final Four currently with a 37-0 record.

The three finalists (in alphabetical order) are:

1. Alana Beard -Duke
2. Stacey Dales -Oklahoma
3. Sheila Lambert - Baylor

The award ceremony and banquet, sponsored by The Rotary Club of Detroit, will be at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center at noon on April 20, 2002. The program will be inspiring and entertaining. Willye White, 5-time Olympian, will be our keynote speaker with other nationally recognized dignitaries including Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman in attendance. Devin Scillian of WDIV-TV (Detroit), will host the event. Monies raised will be directed to two very important organizations: the American Cancer Society and the Women's Sports Foundation. Monies to the American Cancer Society will be used for direct support of various breast cancer initiatives. Monies to the Women's Sports Foundation will be used to help create an educated public that encourages participation in female athletics and supports gender equality in sport. You can visit the official Conseco Nancy Lieberman Step Up Award website at pointguard.org. Questions should be directed to Chris Flynn, award co-chair, at (313)824-4264 or e-mail at quietco@aol.com.

Detroit, MI, February 15, 2002

The Conseco Nancy Lieberman Step Up Award enters its third year and continues building national recognition. The award is a national project of the Rotary Club of Detroit honoring the nation's top collegiate point guard in women's Division I basketball. The criterion for the award is the floor leadership, play-making and ball-handling skills that personified Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman during her career. The AP sportswriters from across the country will nominate the finalists and eventual winner. Due to a tie in voting, the final nominee total went from ten to eleven. The Rotary Club of Detroit announced today the following.

Top 11 Nominees (in alphabetical order):
PLAYER SCHOOL
1. Alana Beard Duke
2. Sue Bird Connecticut
3. Stacey Dales Oklahoma
4. Sheila Lambert Baylor
5. Kara Lawson Tennessee
6. Brandi McCain Florida
7. Ashley McElhiney Vanderbilt
8. Tamara Moore Wisconsin
9. Sara Nord Louisville
10. Lindsay Whalen Minnesota
11. Lindsey Wilson Iowa State

Last year's award and ceremony was a great success. Sue Bird, of the University of Connecticut Huskies, received this top honor for the second straight year in a row. This year's award will be presented at a noon luncheon at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center on April 20, 2002. The program will be inspiring and entertaining. Willye White, 5-time Olympian, will be our keynote speaker with other nationally recognized dignitaries including Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman in attendance. Devin Scillian of WDIV-TV will host the event. Monies raised will be directed to two very important organizations: the American Cancer Society and the Women's Sports Foundation. Monies to the American Cancer Society will be used for direct support of various breast cancer initiatives. Monies to the Women's Sports Foundation will be used to create an educated public that encourages participation in female athletics and supports gender equality in sport. You can visit the official Conseco Nancy Lieberman Step Up Award website at (www.pointguard.org). Questions about the award, banquet tickets, sponsorships, or the banquet itself please contact Chris Flynn, award co-chair, at (313)824-4264 or e-mail at (quietco@aol.com)