Feb. 26, 2013

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Senior Tianna Hawkins and junior Alyssa Thomas were both named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Midseason Watch List Tuesday, which is for the U.S. Basketball Writers Association's National Player of the Year list.

Ninth-ranked Maryland (22-5, 13-3 ACC) is one of five schools to have two players make the list. Connecticut, Baylor, Duke and Penn State each have two players named. Members of the association's board of directors chose the players to be included on the list as contenders for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award.

Hawkins and Thomas are Nos. 1 and 2 in the ACC in scoring and rebounding. Hawkins leads the league in scoring with 18.6 points per game and Thomas is just behind her with 17.7. Thomas is the league's top rebounder with 10.3 boards per contest and Hawkins is No. 2 with 9.4 per game. Thomas is also second in assists per game with 5.2. In conference games only, Thomas leads all players in scoring, rebounds and assists. Hawkins is No. 2 in the league in field goal percentage and trails teammate Alicia DeVaughn.

The Terrapins are No. 2 in the country in rebounding with their margin of +15.0, which is second only to Liberty's +16.0. They are third in the country in field goal percentage (.482) and fourth in assists (18.3).

The award is to be presented to the women's national player of the year by its namesake at the USBWA women's awards press conference on April 7 in the interview room of the New Orleans Arena, 3:30 p.m. local time prior to the start of the NCAA Women's Final Four semifinals, which is a change from the morning breakfast in past seasons.

The Terrapins will take on No. 24 Florida State (20-7, 10-6) Thursday at 7 p.m. in Tallahassee, Fla. The Terps-Seminoles game will be shown live online on ESPN3 and the Watch ESPN app. It will be broadcast on the Terrapin Sports Radio Network and can be heard on 1300 AM and UMTerps.com.

Maryland won the first meeting between the two squads, 71-64, on Jan. 6 in College Park. Tianna Hawkins added 17 points and Tierney Pfirman scored 12.