Nov. 18, 2009

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Marist women's basketball senior forward Rachele Fitz (Seven Hills, Ohio) was selected as one of 50 players chosen to the 2009-10 preseason watch list for the Naismith Trophy, as announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club on Wednesday. Fitz is Marist's all-time leading scorer with 1,893 points and is averaging 24.5 points per game through two games this season.

A two-time Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Player of the Year, Fitz was a preseason and midseason candidate last season for the Wooden Award. Fitz was named MAAC Player of the Week this past Monday after scoring 30 points with nine rebounds in the Red Foxes' season-opening 80-64 win over North Carolina A&T in the first round of the Preseason WNIT.

The watch list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club's Board of Selectors, which based its criteria on player performances from the previous year and expectations for the 2009-10 college basketball season. The Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T will be awarded at the 2010 NCAA Women's Final Four in San Antonio, Texas.

Marist will take on Bowling Green Saturday at 1 p.m. at the McCann Center in the consolation round of the Preseason WNIT. For further information on tickets, contact the Marist Ticket Office at (845) 575-3553.

2009-10 Naismith Trophy Preseason Watch List

Jayne Appel - Senior Center - Stanford
Ashley Barlow - Senior Guard - Notre Dame
Jessica Breland - Senior Forward - North Carolina
Tina Charles - Senior Center - UConn
Alysha Clark - Senior Forward - Middle Tennessee State
Allyssa DeHaan - Senior Center - Michigan State
Elena Delle Donne - Freshman Guard/Forward - Delaware
Skylar Diggins - Freshman Guard - Notre Dame
Dawn Evans - Junior Guard - James Madison
Rachele Fitz - Senior Forward - Marist
Tyra Grant - Senior Guard - Penn State
Alexis Gray-Lawson - Senior Guard - California
Kelsey Griffin - Senior Forward - Nebraska
Brittney Griner - Freshman Center - Baylor
Lele Hardy - Senior Guard/Forward - Clemson
Amber Harris - Junior Forward - Xavier
Tiffany Hayes - Sophomore Guard - UConn
Allison Hightower - Senior Guard - LSU
Ashley Houts - Senior Guard - Georgia
Jareica Hughes - Senior Guard - UTEP
Amy Jaeschke - Junior Center - Northwestern
Shenise Johnson - Sophomore Forward - Miami
Jantel Lavender - Junior Center - Ohio State
Italee Lucas - Junior Guard - North Carolina
Gabriela Marginean - Senior Forward - Drexel
Danielle McCray - Senior Guard/Forward - Kansas
Jacinta Monroe - Senior Forward - Florida State
Alex Montgomery - Junior Guard/Forward - Georgia Tech
Maya Moore - Junior Forward - UConn
Jene Morris - Senior Guard - San Diego State
Dierdre Naughton - Senior Guard - DePaul
Kayla Pederson - Senior Guard - Stanford
Ta'Shia Phillips - Junior Center - Xavier
Jeanette Pohlen - Junior Guard - Stanford
Samantha Prahalis - Sophomore Guard - Ohio State
Brittainey Raven - Senior Guard - Texas
Andrea Riley - Senior Guard - Oklahoma State
Danielle Robinson - Junior Guard - Oklahoma
Angel Robinson - Junior Guard - Marquette
Jenna Smith - Senior Center - Illinois
Da'Shena Stevens - Sophomore Forward - St. John's
Shekinna Stricklen - Sophomore Guard/Forward - Tennessee
Helena Sverrisdottir - Junior Guard - TCU
Ashley Sweat - Senior Forward - Kansas State
Carolyn Swords - Junior Center - Boston College
Bianca Thomas - Senior Guard - Ole Miss
Jasmine Thomas - Junior Guard - Duke
Courtney Vandersloot - Junior Guard - Gonzaga
Kalee Whipple - Senior Forward - Utah
Monica Wright - Senior Guard - Virginia