COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - Texas A&M women's basketball senior Tyra White was named to the Preseason Top 30 list for the John R. Wooden Award, the Los Angeles Athletic Club announced today.
The list is comprised of 30 student-athletes who, based on last year's individual performance and team records, are the early frontrunners for college basketball's most prestigious honor. The list is chosen by a preseason poll of national college women's basketball media members.
From Kansas City, Mo., White was listed to the Preseason Wooden Award list for the first time. She adds the preseason honor to a growing list that includes being selected to the State Farm Wade Trophy watch list and the Preseason All-Big 12 team.
White is coming off a junior campaign in which she was Texas A&M's second-leading scorer with 13.8 points per game and the team's third-leading rebounder with 5.1 rebounds per game. She was a State Farm All-America Honorable Mention along with being selected to the Women's Final Four All-Tournament Team after leading the Aggies to their first national championship in April. White was also an All-Big 12 First Team member and earned a spot on the Big 12 All-Tournament Team.
The six-foot guard started every game last season and reached double figures in 30 of 38 games including the last nine straight. White led the team in scoring six times and was the 23rd A&M player to pass 1,000 career points and currently totals 1,063.
Transfers, freshmen and medical redshirts are not eligible for the preseason list. These players and others who excel throughout the season will be evaluated and considered for December's Midseason list and the official voting ballot released in March. The National Ballot consists of approximately 20 top players who have proven to their universities that they are also making progress toward graduation and maintaining at least a cumulative 2.0 GPA. The Wooden Award All American Team, consisting of the nation's top 10 players, will be announced the week before the Final Four.
The 36th annual Wooden Award ceremony will honor the Men's and Women's Wooden Award winners. It will include the presentation of the Wooden Award-All American Teams and the Legends of Coaching Award, and will take place the weekend of April 9-11, 2012.
About the John R. Wooden Award
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 minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA. Previous winners include such notables as Larry Bird ('79), Michael Jordan ('84), Tim Duncan ('97), Candace Parker ('07 and '08) and Maya Moore of Connecticut ('09 and '11).
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 day-long tournament, which brings together Special Olympic athletes and the All Americans, takes place at The Los Angeles Athletic Club the weekend of the John R. Wooden Award Ceremony.
Follow the candidates and get the latest news throughout the season by logging on to www.WoodenAward.com. For more information on the John R. Wooden Award, please contact the Wooden Award staff at 213-630-5206 or email at woodenaward@laac.net.
2011-12 John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 30 List, Women
|
Name |
Height |
Class |
Position |
University |
Conference |
|
LaSondra Barrett |
6-2 |
Sr. |
F |
LSU |
SEC |
|
Alex Bentley |
5-7 |
Jr. |
G |
Penn State |
Big Ten |
|
Cierra Bravard |
6-4 |
Sr. |
C |
Florida State |
ACC |
|
Carolyn Davis |
6-3 |
Jr. |
F |
Kansas |
Big 12 |
|
Elena Delle Donne |
6-5 |
Jr. |
G/F |
Delaware |
CAA |
|
Skylar Diggins$ |
5-9 |
Jr. |
G |
Notre Dame |
Big East |
|
Stefanie Dolson |
6-5 |
So. |
C |
Connecticut |
Big East |
|
Chelsea Gray |
5-11 |
So. |
G |
Duke |
ACC |
|
Brittney Griner*$ |
6-8 |
Jr. |
C |
Baylor |
Big 12 |
|
Keisha Hampton |
6-2 |
Sr. |
F |
DePaul |
Big East |
|
Bria Hartley |
5-7 |
So. |
G |
Connecticut |
Big East |
|
Tiffany Hayes |
5-10 |
Sr. |
G |
Connecticut |
Big East |
|
Courtney Hurt |
6-1 |
Sr. |
F |
VCU |
CAA |
|
Glory Johnson |
6-3 |
GS |
F |
Tennessee |
SEC |
|
Shenise Johnson$ |
5-11 |
Sr. |
F |
Miami |
ACC |
|
Lynetta Kizer |
6-4 |
Sr. |
C |
Maryland |
ACC |
|
Natalie Novosel |
5-11 |
Sr. |
G |
Notre Dame |
Big East |
|
Nnemkadi Ogwumike*@$ |
6-2 |
Sr. |
F |
Stanford |
Pac-12 |
|
Chiney Ogwuumike |
6-3 |
So. |
F |
Stanford |
Pac-12 |
|
Devereaux Peters |
6-2 |
Sr. |
F |
Notre Dame |
Big East |
|
Samantha Prahalis |
5-7 |
Sr. |
G |
Ohio State |
Big Ten |
|
Jaime Printy |
5-11 |
Jr. |
G |
Iowa |
Big Ten |
|
Justine Raterman |
6-1 |
Sr. |
F |
Dayton |
Atlantic 10 |
|
Sugar Rodgers$ |
5-11 |
Jr. |
G |
Georgetown |
Big East |
|
Shoni Schimmel |
5-10 |
So. |
G |
Louisville |
Big East |
|
Odyssey Sims |
5-8 |
So. |
G |
Baylor |
Big 12 |
|
Shekinna Stricklin$ |
6-2 |
Sr. |
G |
Tennessee |
SEC |
|
Alyssa Thomas |
6-2 |
So. |
F |
Maryland |
ACC |
|
6-0 |
Sr. |
G |
Texas A&M |
Big 12 |
|
|
Riquna Williams |
5-6 |
Sr. |
G |
Miami |
ACC |
 (Based on a preseason poll. Players listed alphabetically.)
GS = Graduate Student
*indicates player chosen to the 2011 Wooden All American Team
$indicates player chosen to the 2011 Wooden Award ballot
@ indicates player chosen to the 2010 Wooden All American team
Award winner honored April 6, 2012 at The Los Angeles Athletic Club.