DALLAS – Freshman Destiny Slocum of the Maryland women's basketball team (32-3) was named National Freshman of the Year by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Saturday in Dallas.

Slocum and the Maryland staff attended an awards presentation at the Sheraton Dallas as part of the WBCA's FOCUS event.

“This is certainly not an award I could receive myself,” Slocum said. “All of my family, teammates, coaches, former coaches helped me so much along the way. I am certainly blessed.”

"Destiny has had an amazing start to her career this year," head coach Brenda Frese said. "The energy she plays with is contagious and it's something the whole country has seen. We couldn't be more happy for Destiny and her family for receiving this award."

Slocum was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year last month as voted by the league's head coaches and media panel.  She was also voted to the All-Big Ten Second Team. She averaged 11.5 points and 6.0 assists per game on the season. In Big Ten play, she led the league with 7.5 assists per contest.

Slocum dished more assists (204) and made more three-pointers (71) than any freshman in program history.

She scored in double figures in 19 of 34 games and had five or more assists in 24 games.

Slocum led the nation's top offense, which averaged 89.3 points per game. Slocum and the Terrapins set a school record for assists in a season with 694.

She helped the Terrapins to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen and their third straight Big Ten regular season and tournament titles.

Under Frese, Slocum and four other Terrapins have earned conference Freshman of the Year honors, including Alyssa Thomas, Lynetta Kizer, Marissa Coleman and Crystal Langhorne.

-Terps-