April 25, 2010

LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky freshman A’dia Mathies was one of 10 freshmen nationally named to the seventh annual Gballmag.com Young All-America team which consists of freshmen who played significant roles on their team in their first collegiate year of action.

The award adds to a lengthy list for Mathies who also earned the school’s first Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year award along with slots on the Full-Court Press Freshman All-America team, All-SEC second team, All-SEC Freshman Team and SEC All-Tournament Team.

The 5-9 guard averaged 13.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game in helping lead the Wildcats to a remarkable, record-breaking season which included the most wins in school history (28), a second-place finish in the SEC with a school-best 11 league wins, UK’s first NCAA Tournament berth since 2006 and its first Regional Final appearance since 1982.

She completed her freshman campaign ranking among UK’s all-time leaders in 10 different freshman statistical categories, including first in steals (93) and second in points (491).

Mathies is UK’s first freshman All-American since Valerie Still in 1980 and is the first UK player to be named to a Gballmag.com team.

Here is a list of players named to the Gballmag.com Young All-America team:

• Skylar Diggins, 5-9, G, Notre Dame
• Brittney Griner, 6-8, C, Baylor
• Jasmine James, 5-9, G, Georgia
• Marissa Kastanek, 5-9, G, North Carolina State
• A'dia Mathies, 5-9, G, Kentucky
• Jaime Printy, 5-11, G, Iowa
• Sugar Rodgers, 5-11, G, Georgetown
• Shenneika Smith, 6-1, G, St. John's
• Jasmine Watson, 6-3, C, UMass
• Davellyn Whyte, 5-10, G, Arizona