Indiana's Catchings Wins 2002 Rookie of the Year

NEW YORK, Aug. 16 -- Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings has been named the 2002 WNBA Rookie of the Year after finishing among league leaders in virtually every statistical category this season and leading Indiana to its first playoff berth in team history.

Catchings received 48 of a possible 60 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters to capture Rookie of the Year honors. Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm received eight votes, followed by Swin Cash of the Detroit Shock with three votes and Nikki Teasley of the Los Angeles Sparks with one vote.

Catchings put the Fever on her shoulders and lifted the franchise to its first postseason appearance. Andrew D. Bernstein WNBAE/Getty Images

Catchings became the first WNBA player to record 60 three-pointers and 80 steals in a single season and finished the regular season as the WNBA leader in steals per game (2.94 steals per game). She led all rookies in scoring (18.6 points per game, second in the WNBA), rebounding (8.6 rebounds, fourth), three-pointers made (76, second), blocked shots (1.34 blocks per game, tied for sixth) and minutes (36.4 minutes per game, second), and finished third in assists (3.7 assists per game, 10th).

Catchings, the only player to earn double WNBA Player of the Week honors this season (June 3 and August 12), was selected as a starter in the 2002 WNBA All-Star Game and led the Eastern Conference with 12 points. The 6-0 forward was selected by Indiana from the University of Tennessee in the first round (third overall) of the 2001 WNBA Draft but sat out last season with a torn ACL in her right knee.

As the WNBA Rookie of the Year, Catchings will receive a Tiffany-designed trophy and $5,000. The 60-member voting panel consisted of 12 national media representatives, as well as media representatives from each of the league�s 16 markets who cover the WNBA regularly.

2002 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR RESULTS

Votes -- Player, Team
48 -- Tamika Catchings, Indiana Fever
8 -- Sue Bird, Seattle Storm
3 -- Swin Cash, Detroit Shock
1 -- Nikki Teasley, Los Angeles Sparks

PREVIOUS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR WINNERS
2001 -- Jackie Stiles, Portland Fire
2000 -- Betty Lennox, Minnesota Lynx
1999 -- Chamique Holdsclaw, Washington Mystics
1998 -- Tracy Reid, Charlotte Sting