UConn Huskies senior point guard Renee Montgomery has been named as the winner of the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award winner.
Montgomery is the second Husky to win the award. University of Hartford coach Jen Rizzotti was the first back in 1996.
Here is the press release:
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Renee Montgomery, a 5-foot-7-inch guard from the University of Connecticut, is the 2009 recipient of the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award, presented annually by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the nation’s outstanding female collegian 5-feet-8-inches and under and has excelled both athletically and academically.
Montgomery, a native of St. Albans, W. Va., became the first-ever “active” player to be inducted into the “Huskies of Honor” and 11th player overall on Feb. 15. She has staked her claim as one of the best guards in the nation and has continued to flourish in her fourth consecutive season as a starter, and third as team captain in the Connecticut backcourt. She is one of only three players in Connecticut history to tally 1,500 points and 500 assists in a career and is the only player in program history to rank in the top-10 in points (1,791), assists (580), steals (247) and three-pointers (219).
During her storied career at Connecticut, Montgomery has been integral in leading the team to a 119-10 ledger that includes a trip to the NCAA® Women’s Final Four®, three NCAA Regionals, two BIG EAST regular season titles and two BIG EAST Tournament crowns. Montgomery has registered 136 career starts, 129 of which have been consecutive – the most by any player nationally.
This season, Montgomery has led the No. 1 Huskies 17 times in assists and 10 times in scoring and steals. Connecticut has not relinquished the top spot on the national rankings all season and is currently the only undefeated team in the country at 27-0, 13-0 BIG EAST. Montgomery leads the BIG EAST in assists, is fourth in three-pointers made and eighth in scoring.
Off the court, Montgomery is very involved with the Connecticut Children’s Hospital where she is a frequent visitor. She has also served with the Salvation Army and aided with their “Holiday Store,” which collects gifts and donations for less fortunate families. Montgomery was also one of the team’s leaders in their efforts to raise money for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
“Renee Montgomery is not only one of the game’s finest smaller players, she is one of the great floor generals in the college game today,” stated John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “.Her commitment on and off the court to making her team and herself better is evident in how she leads Connecticut into battle every night and how dedicated she is in the classroom every day. She personifies the true meaning of the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award.”
The Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award is named in honor of James Naismith’s daughter-in-law. A panel of representatives from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) selects the recipient. To earn the award, the recipient must demonstrate leadership, character, loyalty, all-around basketball ability and excellence in the classroom.
Montgomery will be formally recognized at the WBCA Awards Luncheon presented by State Farm and Jostens at Noon (CT) on Tuesday, April 7, at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis Riverfront Grand Ballroom. This event is part of the WBCA National Convention and is held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women’s Final Four® in St. Louis, Mo.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame pays tribute to the game’s inventor, Dr. James Naismith. Located in Springfield, Mass., “the Birthplace of Basketball,” the world’s only Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves men’s and women’s basketball at every level – professional, collegiate, scholastic, Olympic, international and wheelchair.
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