|
| Ayana Walker-Louisiana Tech |
|
RUSTON - ESPN.com named Louisiana Tech senior forward Ayana Walker as one of five members of its 2001-02 Preseason All-American team, announced Friday.
Walker joined Connecticut's Sue Bird, Vanderbilt's Chantelle Anderson, Oklahoma's Stacey Dales and Duke's Alana Beard on the preseason squad, selected by ESPN's Nancy Lieberman and Beth Mowins, ESPN.com's Michelle Voepel and women's college basketball editor Melanie Jackson.
"Seems like the kids in Ruston often are overlooked, but 'Bird' can dominate a game," Voepel said. Walker, who was named as the Western Athletic Conference's Preseason Player of the Year and a Naismith POY candidate, averaged 16.0 points and 8.5 rebounds during her junior year.
The Houston, Texas, native led the 2001 USA Basketball World University Games team to the gold medal this past summer in Beijing, China, averaging team bests in points, rebounds, blocks, field goal percentage and minutes.
"Walker's calling card is her long arms and smooth moves," Mowins said. "(She) served notice with her 19-point, 19-rebound performance in the World University Games gold medal game."
Walker and the No. 6 ranked Lady Techsters will host Athletes in Action Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Thomas Assembly Center in exhibition action.