Athletes

Candace Parker finished her high school career in March 2004 with a second consecutive state title, a second consecutive Naismith Award as the best girls' basketball player in the nation and an unprecedented third Ms. Basketball of Illinois award. She is the Gatorade High School Player of the Year for 2004 and 2003. She was named to the 2004 USA Women's Junior World Championship Qualifying Team in July of 2004 and is the Women's Sports Foundation High School Athlete of the Year for 2004. Following her 2003 senior season in high school, Parker became the first woman to win a slam-dunk contest at the McDonald's High School All-American Game festivities, defeating five men. In November of 2003, Parker announced her college pick, Tennessee, live on ESPNews, the first female high school athlete to do so. Parker was also a member of the 2003 USA Basketball Youth Development Festival North Team and averaged 15.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.3 blocks per game. She finished the 2003 USA Basketball Youth Development Festival ranked No. 3 in scoring, No. 2 in rebounding and No. 1 in blocked shots. In 2001, as a sophomore, she was the first girl to dunk in a high school game in Illinois. Parker is a freshman at the University of Tennessee this season. (10/04)