Tamika Catchings AWARD

The USBWA has been presenting the women’s freshman of the year since 1998. In 2019, the award was named after Tamika Catchings, the 1998 recipient of the award. During that 1997-98 season, she averaged 18.2 points per game to lead the Tennessee Lady Volunteers to a national championship in a 39-0 season.

During her collegiate career, Catchings set program records for most points with 711, including a 35-point game against DePaul. She went on to become a three-time USBWA All-American and the association’s National Player of the Year in the 1999-2000 season as she finished her career at Tennessee with 2,133 career points and 1,004 career rebounds. In her four seasons playing for the legendary Pat Summitt, the Lady Vols won four SEC titles and compiled a 134-10 record, including a 54-2 mark in conference play. She was a three-time first-team All-SEC selection. Catchings played for the United States on Olympic gold-medal winning teams in 2004, ‘08, ‘12 and ‘16.