Tamika Catchings of the Indiana Fever was named the 2009 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. Catchings previously won the award in 2005 and 2006, and joins Sheryl Swoopes as the only three-time winners of this award. Catchings led the WNBA in steals per game (2.91) for an unprecedented fifth time (2002-2.94-95; 2005-2.65-90; 2006-2.94-94; 2007- 3.14-66) as she helped the Fever finish the regular season with the league’s third-ranked defense (73.6 points allowed per game and a league-record 373 steals). She also ranked eighth in total defensive rebounds (159) and tied for 13th in defensive rebounds per game (4.7) while contributing 18 blocked shots. Catchings not only paced the 2009 Fever in rebounds (15.1 rpg), assists (3.1 apg), and steals, but ranked second in scoring, including a franchise record 31 consecutive free throws. The only WNBA player to rank among the top 15 all-time in career points, rebounds, assists, and steals, Catchings cracked the top 15 in each of these same categories in 2009. One of the most accomplished players in women’s basketball history, Catchings is a four-time All-WNBA First Team selection, six-time WNBA All-Star, a member of the WNBA’s All-Decade Team, and a two-time Olympic gold medalist. Her WNBA career totals include 4,047 points, 1,892 rebounds, 897 assists, and 631 steals.
