Jan. 13, 2010

 

Women’s John R. Wooden Award Midseason Top 20 Candidates

 

LOS ANGELES – The top 21 candidates for the Women’s John R. Wooden Award, the nation’s most coveted college basketball honor, were named today by The Los Angeles Athletic Club’s John R. Wooden Award Committee, including Xavier’s Amber Harris. Because of a tie in the voting, 21 players were named rather than the traditional 20. Composed of the players who will compete for this season’s player of the year award, the midseason list is based on individual excellence and team record during the first half of the season.

The depth and breadth of talent in the women’s game is really apparent,” said Women’s John R. Wooden Award Chairman Richard “Duke” Llewellyn. “Many, many players received votes this year, and I am sure we will see players on the ballot who are not even on this midseason list, as they will step up as we get into conference play.

Harris, the reigning A-10 Player of the Week, tops the nationally-ranked Musketeers’ roster with her 15.0 points per game average – good enough for fourth in the league – while adding 8.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.7 blocks each time out. The Indianapolis native is shooting 55.1 percent (87-158) from the field and 72.1 percent (31-43) at the foul line. She has led XU is scoring on seven separate occasions and posted six double-doubles so far this season.

The Big East leads the Midseason Top 20 with 4 players selected. The CAA and ACC each had three players selected, and the Pac-10, Big 10, SEC and Big 12 had two players each. The Sun Belt, Atlantic 10 and West Coast Conferences had one player chosen. Overall, 48 different players from 36 schools received votes.

More than 300 voters, comprised of sports media members and college basketball experts from across the nation, will then cast their votes to determine both the five-member All American Team and Player of the Year. In late March, the 10-player Wooden Award All American Team will be announced.

About the John R. Wooden Award
The 34th annual Wooden Award ceremony, which will include the announcement of the Men's and Women's Wooden Award winner, and the presentation of the Legends of Coaching Award to Florida’s Billy Donovan, will take place on April 9, 2010.

Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball. It is bestowed upon the nation’s best player at an institution of higher education who has proven to his or her university that he or she is making progress toward graduation and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA. Previous winners include such notables as Larry Bird (’79), Michael Jordan (’84), Tim Duncan (’97), and Blake Griffin (’09). Candace Parker (Tennessee) won the Women’s Wooden Award in 2007 and 2008, and Maya Moore (Connecticut) won last year.

Since its inception, the John R. Wooden Award has contributed close to a million dollars to universities’ general scholarship fund in the names of the All-American recipients. The Award has also sent more than 1,000 underprivileged children to week-long college basketball camps in the Award’s name. Additionally, the John R. Wooden Award partners with Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC) each year to host the Wooden Award Special Olympics Southern California Basketball Tournament. The all day tournament, which brings together Special Olympic athletes and the All-Americans, takes place at The Los Angeles Athletic Club during the John R. Wooden Award weekend.