Lacey Named Lieberman Point Guard Award Finalist

AMES, Iowa ? Iowa State senior point guard Alison Lacey was named one of eight finalists for the Nancy Lieberman Award, a national project of the Rotary Club of Detroit honoring the nation's top collegiate point guard in Division I women's basketball.

“It is a great honor for Aus (Lacey) to be one nominated for the Nancy Lieberman Award,” ISU head coach Bill Fennelly said. “She has had a great year and I know I am prejudiced, but I do not think there is a point guard who has had a better year and impacted her team more than Aus has impacted Iowa State this season.”

Lacey has directed the Cyclones to a 20-5 overall record and an 8-4 mark in the Big 12. She has contributed in nearly every statistical category this season, becoming the only player in school history and only the seventh player in the history of the Big 12 to earn 1,500 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists in a career. She has led the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio for the duration of the 2009-10 campaign. Lacey has constantly ranked in the top 10 in assists per game, currently ranking sixth in the nation and first in the Big 12 with 6.8 dimes a contest.

The Canberra, Australia, native ranks sixth in Big 12 scoring with 17.3 points per game and has been in double figures in all but one game she has played this season. She recorded Iowa State's second triple-double in school history against intrastate rival Iowa (19 points, 11 rebounds, 13 assists), and has added seven more double-doubles (four point-assist and three point-rebound).

Lacey has not only been spectacular at distributing the ball, but has also scored with her driving layups and deep three-point field goals despite being double and triple teamed on a regular basis. She ranks 32nd nationally, hitting at a 41.7 percent clip from outside the arc, and she is 12th in NCAA Division free-throw percentage, hitting 88 percent.

Lacey is one of three players from the Big 12 to be named a finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award, including Oklahoma's Danielle Robinson and Oklahoma State's Andrea Riley. The other five point guards include: Nadirah McKenith (St. John's), Samantha Prahalis (Ohio State), Sam Quigley (DePaul), Jasmine Thomas (Duke) and Courtney Vandersloot (Gonzaga).

The criteria for the award are the floor leadership, play-making and ball-handling skills that personified Hall of Famer, Nancy Lieberman during her career. Sportswriters from across the country have determined this final nominee list. They will select three finalists from this list and one winner at the beginning of April 2010. The announcement of the three finalists and one winner will be made during the Final Four Weekend (April 4-6, 2010).