Candace Parker Announced as UT’S 2020 SEC Women’s Legend

Credit: UT Athletics

Candace Parker Announced as UT’S 2020 SEC Women’s Legend

Credit: UT Athletics

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southeastern Conference office announced its 2020 class of Women’s Legends on Monday, and Lady Vol basketball icon Candace Parker is the University of Tennessee’s representative.

The class includes former student-athletes and coaches from all 14 SEC member institutions. On Mondays and Thursdays during women’s basketball season, one individual will be highlighted on the SEC’s website and via social media.

Parker was a three-time WBCA and Naismith All-American and All-SEC First Team selection at Tennessee from 2005-08, leading the Lady Vols to NCAA national championships in 2007 and 2008, an SEC regular season trophy in 2007 and SEC Tournament crowns in 2006 and 2008. She is one of six women’s players at Tennessee to have her jersey banner hanging from the rafters in Thompson-Boling Arena.

The Lady Vol legend still holds nine UT all-time records, including most slam dunks in a career (7), season (4) and game (2). Parker was the first woman to dunk in an NCAA Tournament contest and the first to throw it down twice in a single game, doing so on March 19, 2006, vs. Army in the NCAA First Round at Norfolk, Va. Despite playing only three seasons at UT before heading to the WNBA, she remains No. 3 in points (2,137) and No. 8 in rebounds (972) among a bevy of other impressive UT career rankings.

Parker was the State Farm Wade Trophy winner in 2007, the ESPN.com and Naismith National Player of the Year in 2008, and the John R. Wooden and U.S. Basketball Writers Association Player of the Year in 2007 and 2008, as well as winning the Honda Sports Award and Honda-Broderick Cup Athlete of the Year honors those seasons as well. She also won ESPYs for Female Athlete of the Year and Female Collegiate Athlete of the Year in 2008 and was SEC Female Athlete of the Year in 2008, Player of the Year in 2007 and SEC Tournament MVP in 2006 and 2008.

Before going on to win gold medals with two U.S. Olympic Teams (2008, 2012) and becoming a league and Finals MVP, a five-time all-star and a league champion with the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, Parker was a four-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection, a 2007 and 2008 CoSIDA Academic All-American and the 2008 CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year. Most recently, she was inducted into the University of Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame in October.

Parker became the third Lady Vol to be selected first in the WNBA Draft, hearing the Los Angeles Sparks call her name in April of 2008. She went on to earn league MVP and Rookie of the Year honors that season and is preparing for her 13th WNBA season.

During the offseason, she continues to shine in the sports broadcast industry, serving as an integral part of TNT’s NBA coverage, primarily as a studio analyst for the network’s Tuesday night telecasts.  She also contributes analysis for NBA TV studio shows, while continuing her role as studio analyst for Turner Sports and CBS Sports’ NCAA Tournament coverage.

The newest class of legends will be honored at the 2020 SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament, March 4-8, in Greenville, S.C.  Each legend will be honored during half‐time of their team’s first game of the tournament, all 14 individuals will also be honored as a group, as well as participate in an autograph session during the tournament. Complimentary posters of the Legends will be available at the session.

2020 SEC WOMEN’S LEGENDS

ALABAMA – Ashley Miles Greig; Gymnastics; 2003‐06
ARKANSAS – Bev Lewis; Track & Field HC/AD; 1981‐90 (HC), 1989‐2007 (Dir. Women’s Athletics), 2008‐14 (Assoc. Vice Chancellor/Exec. Assoc. AD)
AUBURN – Whitney Boddie; Basketball; 2005‐09
FLORIDA – Sarah Lowe; Basketball; 2002‐06
GEORGIA – Tawana McDonald Robinson; Basketball; 1999‐2002
KENTUCKY – Sarah Witten Cantey; Tennis; 2000‐03
LSU – Sylvia Fowles; Basketball; 2004‐08
OLE MISS – Catherine Yelverton; Tennis; 1978‐81
MISSISSIPPI STATE – Martha Alwal Omot; Basketball; 2012‐15
MISSOURI – Natasha Kaiser‐Brown; Track & Field; 1985‐89
SOUTH CAROLINA – Siew‐Ai Lim; Golf; 1992‐96
TENNESSEE – Candace Parker; Basketball; 2005‐08
TEXAS A&M – Andrea Williams; Volleyball/Basketball; 1992‐95 (VB), 1993‐1994 (BKB)
VANDERBILT – Nakia Davis; Golf; 1990‐93

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