AMES, Iowa – Iowa State’s Chelsea Poppens has been named to the 2012-13 Naismith Player of the Year women’s early season watch list, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today.

The 50 player watch list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors, which based its criteria on player performances from the previous year and expectations for the 2012-13 college basketball season.

Poppens, a 6-2 senior from Aplington, Iowa, was the only Big 12 player to average a double-double last season, posting 14.2 points and 10.6 rebounds. She was one of just three players selected unanimously to the 2011-12 All-Big 12 first team.

Poppens started this season where she left off last season, scoring 23 points and grabbing 15 rebounds in Iowa State’s season-opening win against Western Illinois. Poppens was 9-of-15 from the field and tied a career-high with four assists. She also became the 23^rd Cyclone to score 1,000 career points.

Poppens and the Cyclones will be back in action Sunday at 1 p.m. against North Dakota.