RUSTON - Louisiana Tech forward Trina Frierson was named to the 2003-04 Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year Award watch list released by the Atlanta Tipoff Club Thursday.

Frierson was one of only 30 players nationwide on the prestigious list.

The Vicksburg, Miss., native is set to begin her final season in a Lady Techster uniform after averaging 15.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game as a junior. Frierson has already been selected as the preseason Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year by the league's coaches.

University of Connecticut guard Diana Taurasi, who is also on this year's list, was last year's winner of the award, which goes to the nation's top female player.

The candidates were selected by a vote of the Board of Selectors comprised of leading basketball coaches, journalists, and basketball analysts.

The Naismith program, now in its 36th year, honors the outstanding college basketball players in the United States.