Tennessee's Parker wins women's Naismith

TAMPA, Fla., April 7 (UPI) -- Candace Parker of Tennessee won the 2008 Naismith Trophy Monday as the Atlanta Tipoff Club's women's college basketball player of the year.

Parker, who averaged 20.6 points and 8.8 rebounds for the Lady Vols this season, edged Louisiana State University's Sylvia Fowles, Oklahoma's Courtney Paris and Stanford's Candice Wiggins for the annual award.

Parker became the fifth women's player in history to win the Naismith award both in high school and college. She won the high school award at Naperville (Ill.) Central in 2003 and 2004.

Parker has announced she will skip her final year of college eligibility for a professional career,

Parker battled through a shoulder injury to get 13 points and 15 rebounds in Tennessee's one-point win over LSU in the NCAA national semifinal Sunday. The Lady Vols face Stanford in Tuesday's championship game.