Walker Only Second Back-to-Back Winner in Gillom Trophy History; Moultrie Snags Coveted Howell Trophy
Jackson, Miss., (March 5, 2012) – Mississippi State’s Arnett Moultrie, the leading rebounder in the SEC this year, won the C Spire Howell Trophy Monday as the state’s top male college basketball player while Delta State’s Veronica Walker won the C Spire Gillom Trophy for the second year in a row as the best female college basketball player.
Moultrie, a 6-foot-11, 250-pound junior who transferred from UTEP, led MSU in scoring (16.1) and rebounds (10.7) a game this season. He led the SEC in rebounding and was the 7th leading rebounder in the nation in men’s Division 1 basketball. He also was 6th in the nation in double-doubles with 18 in the regular season.
Moultrie, from Memphis, beat out MSU senior guard and teammate Dee Bost, the school’s all-time career assists leader, and Southern Miss sophomore guard Neil Watson, who leads C-USA in free throw percentage.
“I don’t know if there’s a better rebounder in the country,” said MSU head coach Rick Stansbury, describing Moultrie’s rebounding prowess this year. “Arnett has great basketball IQ and he comes to work every day.”
Delta State All-American senior forward Veronica Walker, only the fourth player in school history to score 2,000 career points and grab 1,000 career rebounds, won her second consecutive C Spire Gillom Trophy as the state’s best female college player.
Walker, a finalist for the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Division II National Player of the Year, led the Lady Statesmen in scoring (18.5) and rebounding (8.4 on the way to Delta State’s Gulf South Conference regular season title. She beat out Ole Miss guard Valencia McFarland and MSU senior guard Diamber Johnson for the award.
“She’s just a great person, a great player and a great leader,” said Delta State head coach Sandra Rushing in describing Walker’s accomplishments. “I told our sports information director four years ago before the beginning of the season to remember her name and it turns out there was a lot to remember.”
“There’s definitely some NBA and WNBA-caliber talent among this year’s C Spire Howell and Gillom Trophy award winners,” said Jim Richmond, director of Corporate Communications for C Spire Wireless. "This has been another great year in terms of individual and overall performance and leadership among the basketball teams in our state,” he added, noting that several of the teams led by this year’s award finalists are likely headed to the NCCA tournament.
The Howell Trophy presented by C Spire Wireless is named after Bailey Howell, a two-time All American at Mississippi State University and a six-time NBA All-Star who played on Boston Celtics world championship teams in 1968 and 1969. Howell, a 1977 inductee to the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and the first male Mississippi player inducted in the National Basketball Hall of Fame, still holds nearly a dozen season and career records at Mississippi State University.
The Gillom Trophy presented by C Spire Wireless is named after Abbeville, Mississippi native Peggie Gillom-Granderson, Ole Miss’ all-time leading scorer and rebounder. She has coached in the WNBA and the Olympics and recently retired after a seven-year stint as Associate Head Coach of the Lady Rebels basketball team at Ole Miss.
2012 marks the 16th anniversary of Outstanding Player Awards presentation. C Spire Wireless has served as title sponsor for 14 of those years since 1998. The Conerly Trophy in college football, the Howell Trophy in men’s college basketball, the Gillom Trophy in women’s college basketball and the Ferriss Trophy in college baseball comprise the four elements of the C Spire Wireless Outstanding Player Award series.
About C Spire Wireless
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