DELLE DONNE, EVANS, MARGINEAN EARN SPOTS ON WOODEN MIDSEASON TOP 21
RICHMOND, Va. (January 13, 2010) - The top 21 candidates for the Women's John R. Wooden Award, the nation's most coveted college basketball honor, where named today by The Los Angeles Athletic Club's John R. Wooden Award Committee. Delaware's Elena Delle Donne, James Madison's Dawn Evans and Drexel's Gabriela Marginean were named among the 21 players.
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.
Delle Donne leads the 10-4 Blue Hens, ranks second in the Colonial Athletic Association and fourth in the nation in scoring, averaging 24.7 points per game. She has recorded six double-doubles this season, while averaging 9.6 rebounds per game to lead the conference and rank 36th nationally. Delle Donne who doubles as a Naismith National Player of the Year candidate, has been named the CAA Player and/or Rookie of the Week on four different occasions this season. The 6-5 Wilmington, Del. native not only leads the conference in rebounding (9.6 rpg), but also defensive rebounds (7.0 rpg) and minutes played (37.7 mpg). Delle Donne leads the nation having scored 38.6 percent of her teams’ points in games in which she has played. The forward/guard has scored 296 of the Hens’ 766 points scored in her 12 active games. She is also the only player in the nation to rank in the top 100 in each of the three shooting percentages: field goals (54th), three-pointers (35th), and free throws (17th).
Evans currently leads NCAA Division I players in scoring (26.8 ppg) and three-pointers (4.1 pg). The junior has helped the Dukes to a 12-2 overall mark including wins over natioanlly-ranked Virginia, Georgetown and Virginia Tech. She also helped the Dukes defend their home court as they are 8-0 on the season and have won nine straight at home. In addition to the Wooden list, Evans is also on the watch list for the Naismith Trophy, which also honors the top player in the country. Evans has been named the conference's Player of the Week three times this season for her outstanding play. Evans continues to build on a number of school records including career three-pointers (230) and three-point attempts (642).
Marginean has helped the Dragons to an 8-6 overall record this season. She is a two-time CAA Player of the Week and leads Drexel in scoring (22.4 ppg), rebounds (8.1 rpg) and steals (1.9 spg). Her play helped the Dragons pick up their first win over a nationally ranked opponent when they defeated No. 25 James Madison in their CAA opener on Jan. 3, 2010. She is also ranked 10th in the nation in free-throw percentage this week (89.4). Last Thursday, Jan. 7, Marginean became the CAA’s all-time leading scorer, breaking the previous record of 2,121 points set by James Madison’s Tamera Young in 2008. She is also the conference’s all-time leader in free throws. During the first half of the season, Marginean moved into first place on Drexel’s all-time lists for scoring, field goals and free-throws made. She is just 41 points away from becoming Drexel basketball’s all-time scoring leader, by surpassing the mark of 2,208 points set by Michael Anderson in 1988.
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.
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.
John R. Wooden Midseason Top 21: Jayne Appel - Stanford, Pac-10; Ashley Barlow - Notre Dame, Big East; Tina Charles - Connecticut, Big East; Alysha Clark - Middle Tennessee, Sun Belt; Cetera DeGraffenreid - North Carolina, ACC; Allyssa DeHaan - Michigan State, Big Ten;
Elena Delle Donne - Delaware, CAA;
Dawn Evans - James Madison, CAA; Kelsey Griffin - Nebraska, Big 12; Brittney Griner - Baylor, Big 12; Amber Harris - Xavier, Atlantic 10; Allison Hightower - Louisiana State, SEC; Jantel Lavender - Ohio State, Big Ten;
Gabriela Marginean - Drexel, CAA; Maya Moore - Connecticut, Big East; Kayla Pedersen - Stanford, Pac-10; Brittany Ray - Rutgers, Big East; Shekinna Stricklen - Tennessee, SEC; Jasmine Thomas - Duke, ACC; Courtney Vandersloot - Gonzaga, WCC; Monica Wright - Virginia, ACC.