Goestenkors, Paris win women’s awards

Duke Coach Gail Goestenkors was the driving force behind the Blue Devils’ perfect regular season. Oklahoma sophomore Courtney Paris also showed consistent excellence.

Their successes were honored Saturday, when they received the Associated Press’ women’s basketball coach and player of the year awards.

Paris became the first sophomore to be voted player of the year, narrowly edging Tennessee’s Candace Parker and Duke’s Lindsey Harding. Paris received 18 votes, and Parker and Harding got 16 each in the voting by the 50-member national media panel. The 6-foot-4 center was third in the nation in scoring at 23.3 points and second in rebounding with 15.8.

Goestenkors was a runaway winner for coach of the year with 20 votes. She guided the Blue Devils to a 29-0 record in the regular season.

*

Another big name has surfaced in connection with Arkansas’ coaching search -- John Calipari.

Arkansas has been granted permission to talk to the Memphis coach about replacing Stan Heath, who was fired Monday.

Memphis spokesman Lamar Chance said that he didn’t know whether Arkansas had contacted Calipari yet, but that permission had been granted.

Arkansas had been eyeing Texas A&M; Coach Billy Gillispie, but A&M; announced Friday that it had agreed with him on a new contract.