2008 ACC Women's Basketball All-Defensive Team and Defensive Player of the Year Announced
North Carolina's Pringle tabbed Defensive Player of the Year.



March 4, 2008

GREENSBORO, N.C. - North Carolina's LaToya Pringle headlines this year's ACC Women's Basketball All-Defensive Team as the senior was tabbed the 2008 ACC Defensive Player of the Year, announced by the league today.

Joining Pringle on this year's defensive squad is Miami's Maurita Reid, NC State's Khadijah Whittington, Georgia Tech's Jacqua Williams and Virginia's Monica Wright. The ACC All-Defensive team and Defensive Player of the Year are selected by a vote of the 12 ACC women's basketball head coaches.

Pringle, a senior from Fayetteville, N.C., is already the second-ranked Tar Heels' single-season blocked shot leader after tallying 121 in 2006-07. With 78 blocked shots this season, the six-foot-three forward is nearing the all-time career record (329), held by Dawn Royster (1983-87).

NC State's Whittington ranked among the nation's top five rebounders in 2007-08. She is just one of three players in ACC history to compile 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 200 steals and 100 blocks in a career, averaging 11.3 boards to date. Whittington also leads the league in defensive rebounds, with 226 in 29 games played this season.

Reid, who for the second year in a row ranks among the top two in the ACC in steals, averages nearly four takeaways per game. The senior from Queens, N.Y., is also second in the ACC in three-pointers made.

Tech's speedster Jacqua Williams had three or more steals in 20 games as a sophomore last season on her way to a school-record 95 steals, surpassing Kisha Ford's 13-year old record of 92. In addition, Williams has surpassed her own mark this season as the junior has amassed 110 takeaways thus far this season.

Sophomore Monica Wright has led the `Hoos in scoring this season. The reigning ACC Rookie of the Year, she has been named the league's player of the week once and finished the regular season ranked second in the ACC in scoring average (17.8 ppg).

The 31st annual ACC Women's Basketball Tournament will take place at the Greensboro Coliseum, beginning on Thursday, March 6 and will conclude on Sunday, March 9 with the championship contest slated for 1 p.m. ET.

2007-08 ACC All-Defensive Team
LaToya Pringle, North Carolina
Maurita Reid, Miami
Khadijah Whittington, NC State
Jacqua Williams, Georgia Tech
Monica Wright, Virginia

2007-08 ACC Defensive Player of the Year
LaToya Pringle, North Carolina