ATLANTA – University of Tennessee junior forward Rennia Davis has been named to the Women’s Citizen Naismith Trophy Watch List, the Atlanta Tip-off Club announced on Wednesday. Davis is among 50 players being considered for the honor.
The midseason 30 team will be announced in early February, and then the competition will be narrowed down to 10 national semifinalists on March 3, 2020. Following those results, four finalists will be named on March 20, 2020, and the winner of the 2020 Citizen Naismith Trophy for Women’s Player of the Year will be announced on April 4, 2020.
“The competition for the 2020 Women’s Citizen Naismith Trophy will heat up as more players enter the competition throughout the season, but these 50 candidates are the early contenders to watch,” said Eric Oberman, executive director of the Atlanta Tip-off Club. “We are excited to watch these women play and compete as we have another great year of college basketball ahead.”
“While only one player can win the Women’s Citizen Naismith Trophy, each of the players on the watch list has shown the passion and drive worthy of the honor thus far,” said Eric Horowitz, managing director U.S. and travel retail, Citizen Watch Company of America, Inc. “We are looking forward to watching them continue to compete for the title of Women’s Player of the Year.”
Davis, who named to the John R. Wooden Award Watch List on Tuesday, also is on the 20-player Cheryl Miller Award Preseason Watch List and was named Preseason All-SEC First Team by the coaches and earned second-team honors from the media.
A 6-foot-2 product of Ribault High School in Jacksonville, Florida, Davis led UT in scoring (14.9), rebounding (7.7) and free throw percentage (.856) in her second season on Rocky Top. She ranked No. 1 in the SEC in free throw percentage, No. 8 in rebounding and No. 12 in scoring a year ago.
Her scoring average tied for No. 5 all-time by a UT sophomore, while her rebound average was the ninth-best for a second-year performer at Tennessee. Her sophomore-year double-double total (9) was the sixth-most by an active player in the SEC last season and the second-most by an underclassman.
Davis and her teammates opened up their 2019-20 season Tuesday night in Johnson City, Tenn., taking a 72-68 win over East Tennessee State. The Lady Vol standout tallied 13 points, 10 rebounds and two assists, carding the 19th double-double of her career. She is tied for 19th on UT’s all-time double-doubles list.
On Thursday, Davis and company play their home opener, welcoming Central Arkansas to Thompson-Boling Arena. Tip is set for 7:02 p.m., and the game will be streamed live on SECN+.
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