New York, NY (Sports Network) - Connecticut Sun center Tina Charles has
been selected as the WNBA's MVP for the 2012 season.
Charles received 25 first-place votes and a total of 345 points from a
national panel of 41 sportswriters and broadcasters, outdistancing Los Angeles
Sparks forward Candace Parker for the honor. Parker garnered seven first-place
votes and 253 points, while last year's MVP Tamika Catchings of Indiana was
next in the balloting with 210 points.
In her third pro season, all with the Sun, Charles ended the campaign by
posting her third consecutive rebounding title, pulling down 10.5 boards per
contest, and setting a new franchise record for points-per-game with 18.0. Her
efforts helped Connecticut earn the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
The 23-year-old UConn product became the fastest player in league history --
100 games -- to pull down 1,100 career rebounds in a victory over Indiana on
Sept. 19.
Charles also shot a career-best .499 from the field and made 80.2 percent of
her free throws during a team-best 33.2 minutes per game.
The Sports Network