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.