Howard earns honorable mention All-America honors

Other former Seminoles who are part of the exclusive club include Lisa Foglio (1982), Sue Galkantas (1982, 1983), Lorraine Rimson (Freshman All-American in 1984), Bev Burnett (1988), Wanda Burns (1991), Chris Davis (1991), Tia Paschal (1993), Danielle Ryan (1993), Christy Derlak (1993) and Allison Peercy (1993).

Natasha Howard

Howard proved to be one of the nation’s best all-around players in her final year as a Seminole. She earned 10 different honors through the course of the season, including being named a Wade Trophy finalist recently. She was also named to the All-ACC First Team by both the Blue Ribbon Panel and the league coaches, and earned a spot on the All-ACC Defensive Team for the second time in her career.

She finished fourth in single-season scoring at FSU when she averaged 20.5 points in the 2013-14 year. Her overall game spiked when she entered ACC play against some of the best teams in the country, averaging 23.9 points, 9.7 rebounds and 59.4 percent shooting.

Howard became the first Seminole to make over 200 field goals in a season since 2004-05. Her 266 field goals made as a senior are the second-most at FSU. She also established both the career and single-season record for double-doubles by a Seminole, finishing with 41 and 15 respectively.

Howard is part of 12 players from the ACC who were honored as AP All-Americans. Alyssa Thomas (Maryland) and Kayla McBride (Notre Dame) were named to the first team, while Jewell Loyd (Notre Dame) was on the second team. Elizabeth Williams and Tricia Liston of Duke joined Natalie Achonwa (Notre Dame) on the third team.

Joining Howard on the honorable mention squad are Chelsea Gray of Duke, Tyaunna Marshall of Georgia Tech, Diamond DeShields of North Carolina, Markeisha Gatling of NC State and Dearica Hamby of Wake Forest.

Wade Trophy finalist

Howard received another dose of good recognition on Thursday when she was named a Wade Trophy finalist, announced by the Wade Trophy Committee along with the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and SHAPE America.

The Toledo native is one of 12 finalists for the trophy given to the nation’s most outstanding NCAA Division I women’s basketball player. The candidates were selected by a vote of committee members consisting of leading basketball coaches, journalists and administrators. The committee will select the winner of The Wade Trophy from among those 12 finalists who also are named to the 10-member WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches’ All-America Team when it is chosen in April.

The winner will be announced during the WBCA Awards Show, which will be held at 5:30 p.m. CT Monday, April 7, in the Omni Nashville Hotel’s Broadway Ballroom. The event is part of the WBCA National Convention and is held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women’s Final Four®.

“The Wade Trophy is one of the most exciting awards to be a part of, because these 12 finalists are the games’ most elite players and are truly exciting to watch,” said WBCA CEO Beth Bass. “This trophy is the equivalent to the Heisman Trophy, which is given out annually in collegiate football. These finalists play immense roles as members of their respective institutions’ women’s basketball programs and one of them will be honored with our sport’s most prestigious award.”

Joining Howard as part of the Wade Trophy finalists are Connecticut’s Stephanie Dolson, Bria Hartley and Breanna Stewart, Nebraska’s Jordan Hooper, Notre Dame’s Kayla McBride and Jewell Loyd, Maryland’s Alyssa Thomas, Baylor’s Odyssey Sims, Stanford’s Chiney Ogwumike, South Carolina’s Tiffany Mitchell and Penn State’s Maggie Lucas.

“This is quite an honor for Natasha,” FSU head coach Sue Semrau said. “She proved this season that she is among the nation’s best players and the career she had at Florida State was extraordinary. The numbers she put up this season, especially against exceptional ACC competition, were mind-boggling. ‘Tasha is a team-first player who made our program better, and I’m very happy she is receiving this deserving recognition.”

The Wade Trophy, now in its 37th year, is named after the late, legendary three-time national champion Delta State University coach, Lily Margaret Wade. This most prestigious award, regarded as “The Heisman of Women’s Basketball”, debuted in 1978 as the first-ever women's national player of the year award in college basketball.

According to the latest NCAA statistics, Howard is sixth in the nation in field goal percentage (59.4 percent), 24th in total points (675), 31st in double-doubles (15) and blocked shots per game (2.3) and 34th in points per game (20.5). She is the only ACC player to rank in the Top 10 in the conference in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage, steals and blocked shots.

For more information on Florida State women's basketball throughout the offseason, follow the Seminoles on Twitter at @FSU_WBasketball and like their official Facebook page (Facebook.com/FSUWomensBasketball).

Sports announcements

The Clay Alumni Baseball Game will be May 18 starting at noon at John Ousky Field at the City of Oregon’s William P. Coontz Recreation Complex. Home run derby will begin at 11 a.m. All players should register and send information to Gerry Wasserman at 419-690-9371 or gwasserman@ci.oregon.oh.us by Apr. 26. Wasserman is seeking volunteers for umpires. Make checks payable to Clay Baseball Proceeds ($10 per player) and all proceeds go directly to the Clay baseball program.