University of North Carolina Athletics
More National Awards Pour In For DeShields
February 18, 2014 | Women's Basketball
As the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Week, DeShields was nominated for the weekly award, which was chosen by Mel Greenberg, the USBWA coordinator for women's basketball, from a list of Division I conference players of the week.
DeShields, a 6-1 freshman from Norcross, Ga., averaged 29.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game with a .541 field goal percentage as the Tar Heels picked up three ACC wins, including road triumphs at No. 3 Duke and No. 10 N.C. State.
She began her week with 30 points in the win at Duke on Monday, Feb. 10, and then set a school freshman scoring record with 38 points against NC State on Feb. 16. DeShields in the only Carolina freshman to ever score 30 points against the Blue Devils and Wolfpack. The 38 points against NC State is the most ever by a Tar Heel player, covering 98 games between the two Triangle rivals.
In the span of the last seven days, DeShields has been named national player of the week by espnW, the NCAA and now the USBWA.
Since the 1987-88 season, the USBWA has named a National Player of the Year. At the 2012 Women's NCAA Final Four in Denver, the organization announced going forward that the national and weekly player award has been named for Hall of Famer and former UCLA All-American Ann Meyers Drysdale. At the conclusion of the regular season, the USBWA will name finalists for the award, which is voted on by the entire membership of the USBWA. The winner of the 2014 Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Year will be announced and presented at the USBWA's annual awards presentation in Nashville, site of the 2014 NCAA Women's Final Four.
