Oct. 31, 2007
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
Maryland's Marissa Coleman, Crystal Langhorne and Kristi Toliver have been named to the John R. Wooden Award preseason candidate list. They have now been named to two national player of the year preseason watch lists.
The trio are among 30 preseason candidates named by the John R. Wooden Award committee and is based on last year's individual performance and team records. Only returning players are considered and transfers, freshmen and medical redshirts are not eligible for the preseason list. All players are evaluated for the Midseason Top 20 list and then national ballot.
Maryland is one of three schools to have three players named to the list, along with defending national champion Tennessee (Candace Parker, Alexis Hornbuckle, Nicky Anosike) and NCAA finalist Rutgers (Matee Ajavon, Essence Carson, Kia Vaughn). The ACC tied for the most selections, with Duke's Abby Waner and North Carolina's Erlana Larkins earning a spot on the list.
Senior Crystal Langhorne (Willingboro, N.J./Willingboro) and juniors Marissa Coleman (Cheltenham, Md./St. John's College [D.C.]) and Kristi Toliver (Harrisonburg, Va.) were preseason candidates for the award last year and have been named to this year's preseason Wade Trophy watch list. Langhorne and Coleman were both Midseason Wooden All-Americans in 2007, while Langhorne was selected a finalist for the Wooden Award.
The committee will release the Midseason Top 20 list in mid-January, followed by the official voting ballot in March, consisting of approximately 15 players. In order to be considered for the national ballot, each player must be certified by their university as meeting the Award's criteria, including making progress towards graduation and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 grade point average. Over 200 voters, comprised of sports media members and women's college basketball experts from across the nation, will case their votes for the five-member All-American team and Wooden Award honor as the most outstanding female collegiate player in the nation.
The 2008 Wooden Award weekend, which will include the presentation of the men's and women's Wooden award and the Wooden Award All-American teams will take place April 11-12, 2008. The top-five male and female finalists will be invited to Los Angeles for the award celebration and will receive a contribution from the Los Angeles Athletic Club in their name to their university's general scholarship fund.
The Terps are ranked fourth in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, which was released today. Maryland takes on the U.S. National Team for an exhibition game tonight at Comcast Center. The Terps will be facing some of the most well-known names in women's basketball, including Lisa Leslie, Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird. All 10 players are currently in the WNBA. Tickets are still available through the Comcast Center ticket office. Kids 15 and under will receive free admission if they come in a costume. Trick or treating on the concourse will begin at 5:30 p.m.
Women's John R. Wooden Award Preseason
All-American Team - Top 30 Candidates
(Based on a preseason poll. Players listed alphabetically.)
Matee Ajavon • 5-8 • Sr. • G • Rutgers
Charel Allen 5-11 Sr. G Notre Dame
Jolene Anderson 5-8 Sr. G Wisconsin
Nicky Anosike 6-4 Sr. • C • Tennessee
Jayne Appel • 6-4 • So. • F • Stanford
Kimberly Beck • 5-8 • Sr. • G • George Washington
Tina Charles • 6-4 • So. • C • Connecticut
Marissa Coleman • 6-1 • Jr. • G/F • Maryland
Allyssa DeHaan • 6-9 • So. • C • Michigan State
Essence Carson • 6-0 • Sr. • F • Rutgers
Sylvia Fowles* • 6-6 • Sr. • C • LSU
Devanei Hampton • 6-3 • Jr. • F/C • California
Amber Harris • 6-5 • So. • F • Xavier
Alexis Hornbuckle • 5-11 • Sr. •G• Tennessee
Tasha Humphrey • 6-3 • Sr. • F • Georgia
Crystal Kelly • 6-3 • Sr. • F • Western Kentucky
Crystal Langhorne • 6-2 • Sr. • C/F • Maryland
Erlana Larkins • 6-1 • Sr. • F •North Carolina
Angel McCoughtry • 6-1 • Jr. • F • Louisville
Renee Montgomery • 5-7 • Jr. • G • Connecticut
Mandy Morales • 5-9 • Jr. • G • Montana
Marscilla Packer • 5-9 • Sr. • G • Ohio State
Courtney Paris* • 6-4 • Jr. • C • Oklahoma
Candace Parker* • 6-4 • Jr. • F/G/C • Tennessee
Takia Starks • 5-8 • So. • G • Texas A&M
Kristi Toliver • 5-7 • Jr. • G • Maryland
Kia Vaughn • 6-4 • Jr. • C • Rutgers
Mercedes Walker • 6-3 • Sr. •C • Pittsburgh
Abby Waner • 5-10 •Jr. • G • Duke
Candice Wiggins •5-11 •Sr. • G •Stanford
* Indicates player was a 2006-07 Wooden Award All-American.
-TERPS-
