Shock's Riquna Williams Named WNBA Sixth Woman Of The Year

Tulsa Shock guard Riquna Williams was named the 2013 WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year, the WNBA announced today. Williams received 17 votes from a national panel of 39 sportswriters and broadcasters to earn the award. Minnesota Lynx Monica Wright (13) finished second in the voting.

In 27 games, including 21 as a reserve, Williams averaged 15.6 points – a five-point increase from her rookie season last year and the second-highest average on the Shock – 2.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.0 steals in 22.7 minutes per game. The second-year guard from the University of Miami tied for fourth overall in the league in free throw percentage, converting 90 percent of her attempts from the free throw line. She also topped the 20-point plateau nine times, including a WNBA-record 51-point explosion late in the season.

Williams' record-setting game came on Sept. 8 in a 98-65 win over the San Antonio Silver Stars. She shot 17-for-28 from the field, including 8-for-14 from three-point land. Williams scored eight points in each of the first two quarters before erupting for 20 in the third and 15 in the fourth. The 51-point effort surpassed the previous mark of 47 set by Phoenix's Diana Taurasi in 2006 and Seattle's Lauren Jackson in 2007. Williams earned the first Western Conference Player of the Week Award in her career following that performance.

An All-Rookie Team selection in 2012, Williams finished her inaugural WNBA campaign ranked third among rookies in both assists (2.1 apg) and steals (1.55 spg), and fourth in scoring (10.5 ppg).

In honor of being named the Sixth Woman of the Year, Williams will receive $5,000 and a specially-designed trophy from Tiffany & Co.

Below are the results of the 2013 WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year voting and a list of previous winners:

2013 SIXTH WOMAN OF THE YEAR RESULTS

17 -  Riquna Williams (Tulsa Shock)

13 - Monica Wright (Minnesota Lynx)

7 - Tiffany Hayes (Atlanta Dream)

1 - Jantel Lavender (Los Angeles Sparks)

WNBA SIXTH WOMAN OF THE YEAR WINNERS

2013 - Riquna Williams Tulsa Shock

2012 -  Renee Montgomery Connecticut Sun

2011 - DeWanna Bonner Phoenix Mercury

2010 - DeWanna Bonner Phoenix Mercury

2009 - DeWanna Bonner Phoenix Mercury

2008 - Candice Wiggins Minnesota Lynx

2007* - Plenette Pierson Detroit Shock

* Inaugural award