MUNICH (Germany) - The EuroLeague Women Awards first returns in the fan voting have revealed a strong number of frontrunners from Fenerbahce Opet for the Team of the Season.
Emma Meesseman, Gabby Williams, Julie Allemand and Tina Charles are all amongst the leading vote-getters with time ticking down until the polls close.
There's also big support for Casademont Zaragoza duo Mariona Ortiz and Stephanie Mawuli too, with the former in second spot for backcourt voting and Mawuli second in frontcourt voting.
The MVP race sees Meesseman on course to potentially take an unprecedented third consecutive honor as she has a huge lead at 36 percent, leading Mawuli back on 16 percent.
Gabby Williams knows what it is like winning Defensive Player of the Year and she is ahead in the voting, while Fenerbahce play-caller Valerie Garnier is also in pole position for Coach of the Year.
Iyana Martin Carrion is racing away in the the Young Player of the Year category and has harvested 40 percent of the votes in the wake of her impressive rookie season with Perfumerias Avenida.
For all of the categories, the current situation after the first fan returns shows that every single vote could be vital before the poll closes at 12:00 PM CET on Monday, March 24.
The winners of the awards will be decided by combining the votes of EuroLeague Women coaches, team captains, selected media and the fans.
Team of the Season
Backcourt
1. Gabby Williams (Fenerbahce Opet) 29% 2. Mariona Ortiz (Casademont Zaragoza) 17% 3. Julie Allemand (Fenerbahce Opet) 16% 4. Iyana Martin Carrion (Perfumerias Avenida) 14% 5. Helena Pueyo (Casademont Zaragoza) 14% 6. Sevgi Uzun (Fenerbahce Opet) 12% 7. Leticia Romero (Valencia Basket Club) 11% 8. Leila Lacan (Basket Landes) 10%
Frontcourt
1. Emma Meesseman (Fenerbahce Opet) 36% 2. Stephanie Mawuli (Casademont Zaragoza) 16% 3. Tina Charles (Fenerbahce Opet) 13% 4. Laura Gil (Perfumerias Avenida) 13% 5. Markeisha Gatling (Casademont Zaragoza) 13% 6. Iliana Rupert (CIMSA CBK Mersin) 10% 7. Mariella Fasoula (Perfumerias Avenida) 10% 8. Luisa Geiselsoder (Basket Landes) 10%
MVP
1. Emma Meesseman (Fenerbahce Opet) 37% 2. Gabby Williams (Fenerbahce Opet) 17% 3. Alina Iagupova (Valencia Basket Club) 13% 4. Amy Okonkwo (Tango Bourges Basket) 9% 5. Valeriane Ayayi (ZVVZ USK Praha) 5%
Defensive Player of the Year
1. Gabby Williams (Fenerbahce Opet) 19% 2. Mariona Ortiz (Casademont Zaragoza) 11% 3. Emma Meesseman (Fenerbahce Opet) 11% 4. Maite Cazorla (ZVVZ USK Praha) 9% 5. Queralt Casas (Valencia Basket Club) 8%
Young Player of the Year
1. Iyana Martin Carrion (Perfumerias Avenida) 40% 2. Leila Lacan (Basket Landes) 29% 3. Emma Cechova (Zabiny Brno) 17% 4. Matilde Villa (Umana Reyer Venezia) 14%
Coach of the Year
1. Valerie Garnier (Fenerbahce Opet) 33% 2. Ruben Burgos (Valencia Basket Club) 24% 3. Julie Barennes (Basket Landes) 16% 4. Natalia Hejkova (ZVVZ USK Praha) 10% 5. Georgios Dikaioulakos (Beretta Famila Schio) 9%
FIBA