Willoughby added to Wade Trophy watch list

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Photo: UVA Athletics

Virginia women’s basketball senior guard Jocelyn Willoughby has been added to the watch list for the WBCA National Player of the Year honor, the 2020 Wade Trophy, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced Wednesday.

Willoughby (East Orange, N.J.) is one of 10 players who was added to the midseason list of candidates by the WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches’ All-America Selection Committee, joining the 30 players who were on the preseason watch list.

Willoughby, who leads the ACC in scoring and currently ranks 11th in rebounding, was on the preseason watch list for two awards which are both named after Ann Myers Drysdale, including being one of 35 players on the watch list for the USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Year honor.

The Wade Trophy, now in its 43rd year, is the oldest and most prestigious national player of the year award in college women’s basketball. It is named in honor of the late, legendary Delta State University head coach Lily Margaret Wade, who won three consecutive national championships with the Lady Statesmen. First awarded in 1978 by the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), now known as SHAPE America, the Wade Trophy has been presented to the WBCA NCAA Division I National Player of the Year since 2001.

The WBCA will announce the four finalists for the honor in mid-March. The winner of the 2020 Wade Trophy will be announced April 2 in New Orleans — site of the 2020 WBCA Convention and NCAA Women’s Final Four.

The complete 40-member 2020 Wade Watch List:

Player                             Institution                 Position           Height      Current Year

Bella Alarie                    Princeton                  Forward           6-4           Sr.

Janelle Bailey                 North Carolina         Center             6-4           Jr.

DiJonai Carrington        Stanford                   Guard              5-11         Sr.

Chennedy Carter            Texas A&M             Guard              5-7           Jr.

Kalia Charles                 Maryland                  Guard              6-1           Sr.

Te’a Cooper                   Baylor                      Guard              5-8           Grad.

Lauren Cox                    Baylor                      Forward           6-4           Sr.

Elissa Cunane                NC State                   Center             6-5           So.

Crystal Dangerfield       UConn                      Guard              5-5           Sr.

Rennia Davis                 Tennessee                Guard              6-2           Jr.

Japreece Dean                UCLA                      Guard              5-7           Sr.

Kathleen Doyle              Iowa                         Guard              5-9           Sr.

Chelsea Dungee             Arkansas                  Guard              5-11         RS Jr.

Dana Evans                    Louisville                 Guard              5-6           Jr.

Kiah Gillespie                Florida State             Forward           6-2           RS Sr.

Haley Gorecki                Duke                        Guard              6-0           Grad.

Vivian Gray                   Oklahoma State       Forward           6-1           Jr.

Ae’Rianna Harris           Purdue                      Forward           6-1           Sr.

Tyasha Harris                 South Carolina         Guard              5-10         Sr.

Ruthy Hebard                 Oregon                     Forward           6-4           Sr.

Becca Hittner                 Drake                       Guard              6-0           Sr.

Rhyne Howard               Kentucky                  Guard              6-2           So.

Sabrina Ionescu             Oregon                     Guard              5-11         Sr.

Jazmine Jones                Louisville                 Guard              6-0           Sr.

Micaela Kelly                Central Michigan     Guard              5-6           Jr.

Tynice Martin                West Virginia           Guard              5-11         RS Sr.

Aari McDonald              Arizona                    Guard              5-6           Jr.

Beatrice Mompremier    Miami (FL)              Forward           6-4           RS Sr.

Michaela Onyenwere     UCLA                      Forward           6-0           Jr.

Destiny Pitts                   Minnesota                Guard              5-10         Jr.

MiKayla Pivec               Oregon State            Guard              5-10         Sr.

Lindsey Pulliam             Northwestern           Guard              5-10         Jr.

Sara Rhine                     Drake                       Forward           6-1           RS Sr.

Satou Sabally                 Oregon                     Forward           6-4           Jr.

Destiny Slocum             Oregon State            Guard              5-7           RS Jr.

Megan Walker               UConn                      Forward           6-1           Jr.

Christyn Williams          UConn                      Guard              5-11         So.

Kiana Williams              Stanford                   Guard              5-8           Jr.

Peyton Williams            Kansas State             Forward           6-4           Sr.

Jocelyn Willoughby       Virginia                    Guard              6-0           Sr.