ANZ Championship All Star Kayla Cullen named 2011 Best Young Player
LG Mystics defender Kayla Cullen's star continues to rise, with the announcement today that she is the winner of the ANZ Championship's 2011 Best Young Player award.
This follows Cullen's inclusion last week in the official ANZ Championship All Star Team, in just her second season with the world's best netball league.
Like 2010 recipient, Sharni Layton, Cullen has been named the competition's Best Young Player in the build up to her first ever ANZ Championship Grand Final appearance.
And in a further parallel to last year's Best Young Player announcement, Cullen was unanimously selected by the judging panel, comprising national selectors and former international representatives from Australia and New Zealand.
Cullen was let in on the secret that she had won the award straight after the Mystics' stunning one-goal Preliminary Final victory on Sunday night. The elated All Star stated "That is so awesome! I feel really honoured to be chosen from a group of such talented athletes.
"It's been such an amazing year, I just love being a part of this team. Now I can't wait to take on the Firebirds next Sunday".
Cullen received the maximum possible 20 votes, ahead of Chelsea Pitman (Mission Queensland Firebirds, 15 votes) and Sulu Tone-Fitzpatrick (First Windows Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic, 12 votes).
This is the second consecutive year in which Cullen was nominated for the Best Young Player award. After only making five appearances for the Mystics last season, the 19 year-old has played every game of the 2011 ANZ Championship, slotting in to her defence position beautifully alongside fellow All Star Anna Scarlett, a veteran of 51 test caps.
Accumulating season highs of four intercepts in last week's Preliminary Final, and six rebounds and seven gains in the Minor Semi-Final, Cullen has already shown that she relishes the pressure of finals netball. She will need to produce another stand-out performance if the Mystics are to overcome the as-yet undefeated Firebirds in the Grand Final this Sunday.
