2008 Woodie Awards
Holt drafted 9th in WNBA draft
Richard Lowe
Issue date: 4/10/08 Section: News
The sun may have set on Amber Holt's career at MT, but it is starting to shine in the WNBA.
Holt was selected Wednesday with the No. 9 pick by the Connecticut Sun in their 11th annual WNBA Draft. The Sun had two first round selections and chose Holt with the first one. "He saw something in me that can help in their system," Holt said. "Me being the player that he wanted was great. It means a lot that a WNBA coach wants you that bad. I just can't explain how happy I am that he would be like that."
Only two players in Sun Belt Conference history have been drafted higher, both from Louisiana Tech in 2000. Betty Lennox was taken sixth overall by the Minnesota Lynx and Tamicha Jackson was selected eighth overall by the Detroit Shock.
This tops off an already rewarding off-season in which Holt receives accolades from Sun Belt Conference coaches and national media.
She was a member of the Sun Belt All-Conference first team and a First Team All-American by CBSSports.com in March after leading the nation in scoring for more than half the season. She is the only first team All-American in the women's basketball program's history.
She was also voted third team All-American by the Associated Press, Honorable Mention All-American by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association and also voted to the 10-member US Basketball Writers Association All-America team. It was the second straight season the Blue Raiders had an All-American on the AP and USBWA teams.
Holt finished the season with 930 points, the fifth most ever scored by any player in one season in NCAA history. She broke the single-season scoring record at Middle Tennessee, smashing the previous mark of 768 set last season by Chrissy Givens. Holt set single-season marks for scoring average (27.4), field goals (352), field goal attempts (680), free throws (206), free throw attempts (261) and 30-point scoring games (14).
The Duluth, Ga., native also tied for first in double-figure scoring games (34), ranked sixth in rebounding (274) and tied for ninth in steals (80). Her 8.1 rebounds per game tied for 19th on the single-season charts as well.
Holt was selected Wednesday with the No. 9 pick by the Connecticut Sun in their 11th annual WNBA Draft. The Sun had two first round selections and chose Holt with the first one. "He saw something in me that can help in their system," Holt said. "Me being the player that he wanted was great. It means a lot that a WNBA coach wants you that bad. I just can't explain how happy I am that he would be like that."
Only two players in Sun Belt Conference history have been drafted higher, both from Louisiana Tech in 2000. Betty Lennox was taken sixth overall by the Minnesota Lynx and Tamicha Jackson was selected eighth overall by the Detroit Shock.
This tops off an already rewarding off-season in which Holt receives accolades from Sun Belt Conference coaches and national media.
She was a member of the Sun Belt All-Conference first team and a First Team All-American by CBSSports.com in March after leading the nation in scoring for more than half the season. She is the only first team All-American in the women's basketball program's history.
She was also voted third team All-American by the Associated Press, Honorable Mention All-American by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association and also voted to the 10-member US Basketball Writers Association All-America team. It was the second straight season the Blue Raiders had an All-American on the AP and USBWA teams.
Holt finished the season with 930 points, the fifth most ever scored by any player in one season in NCAA history. She broke the single-season scoring record at Middle Tennessee, smashing the previous mark of 768 set last season by Chrissy Givens. Holt set single-season marks for scoring average (27.4), field goals (352), field goal attempts (680), free throws (206), free throw attempts (261) and 30-point scoring games (14).
The Duluth, Ga., native also tied for first in double-figure scoring games (34), ranked sixth in rebounding (274) and tied for ninth in steals (80). Her 8.1 rebounds per game tied for 19th on the single-season charts as well.
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