Hartford's Beverly Named Wooden Award Preseason Candidate

Hartford's Beverly Named Wooden Award Preseason Candidate

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Courtesy of University of Hartford Athletic Communications


West Hartford, Conn. – University of Hartford senior forward Erica Beverly was named a John R. Wooden Award candidate the 2009-10 season as announced by Richard “Duke” Llewellyn, John R. Wooden Award Chairman and founder on Thursday. The list is comprised of 31 student-athletes who, based on last year’s individual performance and team records, are the frontrunners for college basketball’s most prestigious honor.

"I couldn't be more pleased with the recognition Erica is receiving with this nomination," said head women's basketball coach Jennifer Rizzotti. "The bar of success was raiesed higher the day she stepped on campus and this is a true testiment of her physical and emotional committment to our program. She is one of the most physically gifted athletes in the country and the impact she has on both ends of the floor is immeasurable. It's only fitting that she will have an opportunity to showcase her ability on a national stage this year." 

 

The list contains 31 players, not the traditional 30, because the playing status of North Carolina’s Jessica Breland is uncertain due to a possible medical redshirt year. Transfers, freshmen and 2009 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 ballot released in March.

In late December, the Wooden Award Committee will release the Midseason Top 20 list, followed in March by the National Ballot, consisting of approximately 15 top players who have proven to their universities that they are also making progress toward graduation and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA.  The Women’s Wooden Award All-American Team will be announced the week of the “Elite Eight” round during the NCAA Tournament.

 

The 34th annual Wooden Award ceremony, which will include the announcement of the Men's and Women's Wooden Award, and the presentation of the Wooden Award All-American Teams and the Legends of Coaching Award, will take place the weekend of April 9-11, 2010.

 

The breadth of talent across the country is shown by the record number of NCAA Division I conferences (12) highlighted on the list. The Big 10 conference has five candidates, followed by the Big East, ACC, Big 12 and Pac-10 with four apiece, the SEC (3), West Coast (2), America East (1), Atlantic 10 (1), CAA (1), Mountain West (1) and Sun Belt (1).

 

Connecticut (Maya Moore, Tina Charles), Ohio State (Jantel Lavender, Samantha Prahalis), Stanford (Jayne Appel, Jeanette Pohlen) and Gonzaga (Heather Bowman, Courtney Vandersloot) are the only schools with two preseason candidates. Prahalis was the only sophomore chosen; the rest of the nominees are juniors or seniors.

 

Beverly helped lead the Hawks to their fifth-straight postseason appearance in the second round of the WNIT. She finished her junior year averaging 11.1 points-per-game and led the team at 7.2 rebounds-per-game, while being named to the America East All-Conference First Team and to the All-Defensive Team. She also led the team in blocked shots with 61, on the way becoming the school’s all-time shot blocker. Beverly also finished second on the team with 68 assists.

 

The women’s basketball team finished 2008-09 with a 20-12 record, second in the America East. The Hawks earned their first ever post season at large selection when they were picked to play in the WNIT, also receiving a first round bye.

 

About the John R. Wooden Award

 

Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball.  The women’s category was added in 2004. The Award 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), Alana Beard (‘06) and Blake Griffin (‘09). Candace Parker won the Women’s Wooden Award in 2007 and 2008.

 

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 a day-long basketball tournament. The tournament brings together Special Olympic athletes and the All-Americans in a setting that exemplifies the spirit of competition.

 

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.