Indiana Fever's Catchings and Chicago Sky's Fowles Headline the 2012 WNBA All-Defensive Team
�Panel of Coaches Selected First- and Second-Team Players to be Honored on the All-Defensive Team�
NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2012 � Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings, the 2011 WNBA MVP, and Chicago Sky center Sylvia Fowles, the 2011 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, headline the 2012 WNBA All-Defensive First-Team, the league announced today. Catchings received 50 votes from a national panel of 41 sports writers and broadcasters, with Fowles following suit with 33 votes, Los Angeles Sparks guard Alana Beard (30), Indiana Fever guard Briann January (26) and Atlanta Dream forward Sancho Lyttle (26) round out the group.
Catchings, who earned Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2010, was the only player to receive double-digit First Team votes, with 10. Catchings earns her eighth consecutive appearance on the All-Defensive First Team, the only player to be named to the First-Team every year the distinction has been recognized (2005-2012). Fowles, who received six First-Team votes, ranked second in rebounds this season (10.4 rpg) after leading the league in 2010 and 2011. She also ranked third double-doubles (15). Alana Beard finished with six First-Team votes, Briann January with four and Sancho Lyttle with four.
Catchings, Fowles and Beard repeat as First-Team members. For January and Lyttle, it is their first time earning All-Defensive First-Team honors.
The WNBA All-Defensive Second-Team is comprised of San Antonio Silver Stars forward Sophia Young, (22 points, two First-Team votes), Connecticut Sun center Tina Charles (21, three), Atlanta Dream guard Armintie Price (18, three) and San Antonio Silver Stars guard Danielle Robinson (17, one) and Los Angeles Sparks forward Candace Parker (15, three).
A panel of the WNBA�s 12 head coaches voted on the WNBA All-Defensive Team, selecting First- and Second-Teams by position. Coaches were not permitted to vote for players from their own team. Players earned five points for each First Team vote and three points for a Second Team vote.
Below are the top finishers in the vote for the 2012 WNBA All-Defensive Teams:
2012 WNBA ALL-DEFENSIVE FIRST TEAM
Player | Team | Position | Points |
Tamika Catchings | Indiana Fever | Forward | 50 |
Sancho Lyttle | Atlanta Dream | Forward | 26 |
Sylvia Fowles | Chicago Sky | Center | 33 |
Alana Beard | Los Angeles Sparks | Guard | 30 |
Briann January | Indiana Fever | Guard | 26 |
2012 WNBA ALL-DEFENSIVE SECOND TEAM
Player | Team | Position | Points |
Sophia Young | San Antonio Silver Stars | Forward | 22 |
Candace Parker | Los Angeles Sparks | Forward | 15 |
Tina Charles | Connecticut Sun | Center | 21 |
Armintie Price | Atlanta Dream | Guard | 18 |
Danielle Robinson | San Antonio Silver Stars | Guard | 17 |