Dales, Caufield among finalists for player of the year award

<br>NORMAN, Okla. (AP) _ Oklahoma's Stacey Dales and LaNeishea Caufield each have been named finalists for the 2002 Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year award. <br><br>The finalists were

Tuesday, February 12th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) _ Oklahoma's Stacey Dales and LaNeishea Caufield each have been named finalists for the 2002 Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year award.

The finalists were announced Monday.

Oklahoma is one of three teams with multiple finalists. Top-ranked Connecticut and third-ranked Tennessee were the others.

``It is a tremendous honor for any team or program to have one member of its squad listed among the finalists for this prestigious award,'' said OU coach Sherri Coale. ``To have two is something really, really special.''

Dales, an All-American, and Caufield have led Oklahoma to a 20-2 overall mark and a Big 12 record of 10-1, good enough for first place in the conference.

The Naismith Award is given out by the Atlanta Tipoff Club and honors the outstanding college basketball players in the country.

A board of selectors, made up of coaches, journalists and administrators, selects the finalists.

This year's award will be handed out in Atlanta on April 5.