Wisconsin senior guard Jolene Anderson was named the preseason Big Ten Player of the Year by conference coaches and the media Sunday. Anderson is the first Badger recipient of the award since 2001.
Anderson has carved a niche in Wisconsin women's basketball history, as she currently ranks in the top 20 in nearly every statistical category with an entire season left to play. She is the fastest basketball athlete - male or female - to score 1,000 and 1,500 career points. Anderson won last year's Big Ten scoring title and is the preseason favorite to accomplish the same feat this season.
She's definitely shown what she can do on our team,"" junior forward Caitlin Gibson said. ""Even before I got here, she stepped in right away and took charge, so now I think it's time she got recognized.""
The Port Wing, Wis. native can add the preseason Player of the Year title to her growing resume alongside a Big Ten Freshman of the Year honor in 2005, an all-time Women's National Invitational Tournament scoring record in 2007 and three gold medals with the USA Basketball select team. For Anderson though, it's not about the individual accolades. She simply wants to win.
""I just want to see this team be successful on and off the court, just to have everybody be a success and not dwell on the season,"" Anderson said. ""When it's all over, [we want to] know that it was the best that we could do and hopefully live off that.""
""She has broken every record there is possible here, but it's not about her,"" head coach Lisa Stone said. ""It's about the team, and she wants this team to win. If she continues to break records and we win, she'll take that. That's what makes her the special person she is.""
Many of Anderson's coaches and teammates agree that the unanimous preseason All-Big Ten First Team selection brings more than just points, rebounds and shattered records to the gym.
""She looks for other players, she can get you good shots and she's a leader more by example, not necessarily by words,"" sophomore guard Rae Lin D'Alie said. ""It's a different game when she's on the floor. As a point guard, she makes me feel comfortable with the ball.""
Not even one month into the practice schedule, Anderson knows this is her last year in Badger uniform and has challenged her teammates thus far.
""She's our hardest worker right now,"" Stone said. ""She's practicing harder than anybody on the team, and when your hardest worker is your best player, it's contagious amongst the rest of the team.""
