DENVER (AP) – Brittney Griner is The Associated Press’ women’s college basketball Player of the Year, the first Baylor player to win the award.

She received 36 votes Saturday from the 40-member national media panel that selects the weekly Top 25. Balloting was done before the NCAA tournament.

The 6-foot-8 phenom averaged 23.4 points, 9.4 rebounds and 5.2 blocks this season. She shot 61 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free throw line, and she has raised her game over the last month.

Elena Delle Donne of Delaware was second with two votes. Skylar Diggins of Notre Dame and Nnemkadi Ogwumike of Stanford received the other votes.

Maya Moore of Connecticut won the award last season and Griner ended a run of three straight seasons that a Huskies player has been player of the year.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)