NEW YORK – Tamika Catchings of the Indiana Fever is the recipient of the 2016 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award, the WNBA announced today.  Catchings, who previously won the award in 2010 and 2013 (co-winner with Swin Cash), is the first three-time winner since the award’s inception in 1997.

The Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award is presented each season to a player who exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship on the court, including ethical behavior, fair play, and integrity.  The award is named for the late Kim Perrot, who helped guide the Houston Comets to their first two WNBA Championships before passing away in August 1999 after a seven-month battle with cancer.

Catchings, who just completed her 15^th and final WNBA regular season, received 29 votes from a national panel of 39 sportswriters and broadcasters. Alysha Clark of the Seattle Storm, Chiney Ogwumike of the Connecticut Sun and Elizabeth Williams of the Atlanta Dream received two votes each.  Jayne Appel-Marinelli of the San Antonio Stars, Swin Cash of the New York Liberty, and Lindsay Whalen of the Minnesota Lynx received one vote apiece.

Catchings, the recipient of the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award this season, started her WNBA career with the Fever as the No. 3 overall pick out of the University of Tennessee in the 2001 WNBA Draft.  The 10-time All-Star spent her entire career with the Fever, where she won a WNBA Championship in 2012 and was named Finals MVP.  Catchings recently surpassed Lisa Leslie as the WNBA all-time leader for rebounds with 3,316.  She ranks first all-time in steals (1,074), second in points (7,380), sixth in assists (1,488) and 12^th in blocks (385).  Catchings is a five-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year award winner and was named WNBA MVP in 2011. She also captured Rookie of the Year honors in 2002.Catchings was recently named one of the WNBA Top 20@20 presented by Verizon honorees, which honors the 20 greatest and most influential players in its history. She was previously honored as an All-Decade member and a Top 15 player.  

In honor of being named the Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award winner, Catchings will receive $5,000 and a specially designed trophy from Tiffany & Co.  The Fever will donate an additional $5,000 to the charity of her choice.

Below are the voting results of the 2016 WNBA Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award and a list of past recipients.

 

2016 KIM PERROT SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD RESULTS

29                 Tamika Catchings           Indiana Fever

2                   Alysha Clark                     Seattle Storm

2                   Chiney Ogwumike            Connecticut Sun

2                   Elizabeth Williams             Atlanta Dream

1                   Jayne Appel-Marinelli       San Antonio Stars

1                   Swin Cash                         New York Liberty

1                   Lindsay Whalen                Minnesota Lynx

 

ALL-TIME KIM PERROT SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD WINNERS

2016             Tamika Catchings           Indiana Fever

2015             DeLisha Milton-Jones       Atlanta Dream

2014             Becky Hammon                San Antonio Stars

2013             Swin Cash                         Chicago Sky

Tamika Catchings             Indiana Fever

2012             Kara Lawson                     Connecticut Sun

2011             Sue Bird                            Seattle Storm

Ruth Riley                         San Antonio Stars

2010             Tamika Catchings             Indiana Fever

2009             Kara Lawson                     Sacramento Monarchs

2008             Vickie Johnson                  San Antonio Stars

2007             Tully Bevilaqua                 Indiana Fever

2006             Dawn Staley                     Houston Comets

2005             Taj McWilliams-Franklin   Connecticut Sun

2004             Teresa Edwards               Minnesota Lynx

2003             Edna Campbell                 Sacramento Monarchs

2002             Jennifer Gillom                  Phoenix Mercury

2001             Sue Wicks                         New York Liberty

2000             Suzie McConnell Serio     Cleveland Rockers

1999             Dawn Staley                     Charlotte Sting

1998             Suzie McConnell Serio     Cleveland Rockers

1997             Haixia Zheng                     Los Angeles Sparks

 

About the WNBA

The WNBA, which features 12 teams, is a unique global sports property combining competition, sportsmanship, and entertainment with its status as an icon for social change, achievement, and diversity.  The league, which counts Verizon as its leaguewide marquee partner, concluded its 20^th regular season on Sept. 18, 2016.

Through WNBA Cares, the WNBA is deeply committed to creating programs that improve the quality of life for all people, with a special emphasis on programs that promote a healthy lifestyle and positive body image, increase breast and women’s health awareness, support youth and family development, and focus on education.  For more information on the WNBA, log on to www.wnba.com.

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