University of North Carolina Athletics
Latta Named WBCA Player Of The Month
February 7, 2007 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 7, 2007
ATLANTA, Ga. - The Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and committee members have selected the University of North Carolina's (UNC) Ivory Latta as January 's National Player of the Month.
Latta's January averages include: 19.6 points per game, 3.2 assists with 48 percent shooting from behind the arc to help the Tar Heels (24-0, 8-0) dominate the month. Latta receives the award for the third straight year, winning it in February 2006 and March 2005.
The senior point guard's field goal percentage of 46 pushed UNC into the number two spot in the USA TODAY ESPN Division I Top 25 Coaches' Poll with wins over University of Connecticut, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Virginia, Clemson University and North Carolina State. Latta's game and season high of 32 points helped the Tar Heels topple the top-ranked Terrapins of the University of Maryland and gave the defending NCAA Champions their first lost of the season.
Latta is averaging 16.3 points per game and is one of 29 players on the 2007 State Farm Wade Watch. Currently, she sits fourth in scoring and is number two in three-point percentage in the Atlantic Coastal Conference (ACC).
Last season, the senior captain, was named to the 2006 Kodak/WBCA All-America Team. ESPN.com, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), Gballmag.com and Basketball Times elected her as National Player of the Year. She won the Nancy Lieberman Award for point guard of the year. Latta earned the Consensus All-America selection, UNC's first since Tracy Reid in 1998. She was also voted 2006 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year, Most Outstanding Player in the NCAA Tournament Cleveland Regional and ACC Tournament MVP for the second year in a row as UNC won the second of back-to-back titles.
Also nominated: Mykeema Ford, Stony Brook (America East); Kamesha Hairston, Temple (Atlantic 10); Alysha Clark, Belmont (Atlantic Sun); Courtney Paris, Oklahoma (Big 12); Angel McCoughtry, Louisville (Big East), Kelsey Kahle, Portland State University, (Big Sky); Alisha Dill, Coastal Carolina (Big South); Jessica Davenport, Ohio State University (Big Ten); LaJoyce King, Cal State Northridge (Big West); Meredith Alexis, James Madison (Colonial Athletic); Tye Jackson, Houston (Conference USA); Traci Edwards, UW-Milwaukee (Horizon League); Meagan Cowher, Princeton University (Ivy League); Martina Weber, Iona College (Metro Atlantic); Ali Mann, Bowling Green (Mid-American); Elisha Turek, Oral Roberts (Mid-Continent) ; Amber Bland, North Carolina A&T (Mid-Eastern Athletic); Lashawn Johnson, Illinois State (Missouri Valley); Adrianne Ross, Texas Christian University (Mountain West); Amanda Pape, Sacred Heart (Northeast Conference); Joi Scott, Murray State (Ohio Valley); Marisa Stotler, Washington State (Pacific-10); Melanie Cargle, Colgate (Patriot League); Candace Parker, Tennessee (SEC); Alex Anderson, Univ. of Tenn, Chattanooga (Southern); Charity Egenti, Stephen F. Austin (Southland); Gaati Werema, Prairie View A&M (Southwestern Athletic); Chrissy Givens, Middle Tennessee (Sun Belt); Stephanie Hawk, Gonzaga (West Coast); Jessica Thompson, Boise State (Western Athletic).
