• ROSTER
• |
• SCHEDULE
• |
• STATS
• |
• NEWS
• |
• ARCHIVES
• |
• PHOTOS

Nov. 6, 2008

Louisville, Ky. - Richard "Duke" Llewellyn, Wooden Award Chairman and founder, announced the 2008-09 preseason candidates for the Women's Wooden Award All-American Team and Player of the Year trophy today. Louisville senior Angel McCoughtry highlights the list of the 30 players selected, based on last year's individual performance and team records, are the early frontrunners for college basketball's most prestigious honor.

McCoughtry is one of seven players that were named to the preseason list last season. She was named a preseason Associated Press All-American earlier this week. She finished her junior season leading the BIG EAST in scoring (23.3), rebounding (9.5), and steals (4.1). She was named a WBCA/State Farm All-American for the second straight year as a junior.

The breadth of talent across the country is shown by the number of NCAA Division I schools (25) and conferences (10) highlighted on the list. The Big East boasts eight candidates, followed by the ACC (5), Big 12 (4), Pac-10 (3), SEC (3), Atlantic 10 (2), Big Ten (2), Conference USA (1), Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (1) and the West Coast Conference (1).

In mid-January, 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 33rd 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 to Rick Barnes from The University of Texas, will be held at The Los Angeles Athletic Club in April, 2009.

2008-09 John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 30 List - Women's Category

(Based on a preseason poll. Players listed alphabetically.)

Player First Player Last Height Position Class University

Jessica Adair 6-4 C/F Sr. George Washington

Jayne Appel 6-4 F/C Jr. Stanford

Chante Black 6-5 F/C Sr. Duke

DeWanna Bonner 6-4 G Sr. Auburn

Heather Bowman 6-2 F Jr. Gonzaga

Tina Charles 6-4 C Jr. Connecticut

Marissa Coleman 6-1 G/F Sr. Maryland

Allyssa DeHaan 6-9 C Jr. Michigan State

Krystal Ellis 5-9 G Sr. Marquette

Rachele Fitz 6-0 F Jr. Marist

Devanei Hampton 6-3 F/C Sr. California

Ashley Houts 5-6 G Jr. Georgia

Jareica Hughes 5-3 G Jr. UTEP

Jantel Lavender 6-4 C So. Ohio State

Shalee Lehning 5-9 G Sr. Kansas State

Rashanda McCants 6-1 G/F Sr. North Carolina

Angel McCoughtry 6-1 F Sr. Louisville

Renee Montgomery 5-7 G Sr. Connecticut

Maya Moore 6-0 F So. Connecticut

Courtney Paris 6-4 C Sr. Oklahoma

Ta'Shia Phillips 6-6 C So. Xavier

Epiphanny Prince 5-9 G Jr. Rutgers

Andrea Riley 5-5 G Jr. Oklahoma State

Takia Starks 5-8 G Sr. Texas A&M

Kristi Toliver 5-7 G Sr. Maryland

Kia Vaughn 6-4 C Sr. Rutgers

Ashley Walker 6-1 F Sr. California

Christina Wirth 6-1 F Sr. Vanderbilt

Monica Wright 5-11 G Jr. Virginia

Shavonte Zellous 5-11 G Sr. Pittsburgh