Ballots Packed with Upperclassmen, Including Seniors Fredette and Smith on the Men’s Side, and U. Conn’s Moore and Stanford’s Pohlen for the Women

Los Angeles (March 14, 2011)— The John R. Wooden Award National Ballots for both the men and women were sent out today by The Los Angeles Athletic Club to nearly 1,000 members of the media who cover college basketball. Ballots were sent out to men’s and women’s voters separately. Selected by the Wooden Award National Advisory Board, each ballot is made up of 20 student-athletes who, based on their performances throughout the season, are the candidates for college basketball’s most prestigious honors. All 40 players have proven to their universities that they are also making progress toward graduation and are maintaining at least a cumulative 2.0 GPA.  The Wooden Award Men’s and Women’s All American Teams will be announced the week of the “Elite Eight” round during the NCAA Tournament, making it unique among college postseason awards. Voters have until Monday, March 28 at Noon PDT to return their ballots.

On the men’s side, returning players from past Wooden Award ballots include a pair of seniors: Duke’s Kyle Singler (2009, 2010) and BYU’s Jimmer Fredette (2010). Singler (17.1 points, 6.9 rpg) is looking to return the Blue Devils to the Final Four; Fredette averages a nation-leading 28.5 points while leading the Cougars to national acclaim. Unusual in recent years, seniors dominated the ballot, taking 11 of 20 spots. Only one freshman made the list: Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger.

Wisconsin (Jordan Taylor, Jon Leuer), Purdue (JaJuan Johnson, E’Twaun Moore) and Duke (Singler, Nolan Smith) are the only schools with two players on the ballot. The Big 10 boasts the largest number of players chosen to the list, with five, while the Big East and Big 12 conferences place four players each. Other conferences with multiple players represented include the ACC (2) and the Mountain West Conference (2). The Horizon League and Pac-10 and Ohio Valley conferences each had one men’s player selected.

Stanford’s trio of Pac-10 Player of the Year Jeanette Pohlen; returning Wooden All American Nnemkadi Ogwumike; and standout forward Kayla Pedersen lead the women’s ballot, along with 2009 Wooden Award winner Maya Moore of Connecticut. A three-time Wooden Award All American, Moore looks to become only the second four-time All American pick in the history of the Award; Courtney Paris of Oklahoma achieved the feat from 2006-09. This season, Moore has led the Huskies to another dominating season and a fourth straight Big East title, averaging 22.8 points, 7.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists.

Xavier placed two players on the women’s ballot, Ta’Shia Phillips and Amber Harris, who are two of the unprecedented 10 returnees to the Wooden Award ballot from 2010. Three players made the ballot (Pohlen, Northwestern’s Amy Jaeschke and Kalisha Keane of Michigan State) despite not being nominated as Midseason Candidates. The conference breakdown is Pac-10 (3), Big 12 (3), Big Ten (3), Big East (3), ACC (2), SEC (2), CAA (1) and West Coast (1).

The 35th annual Wooden Award ceremony, which will include the announcement of the men’s and women’s Wooden Award winners, a tribute to Coach Wooden and Wooden Award Founder, Duke Llewellyn, and the presentation of the Wooden Award All American Team trophies and the Legends of Coaching Award to Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo, will take place April 8, 2011 at The Los Angeles Athletic Club.

2011 John R. Wooden Award

Women’s Ballot

(Players listed alphabetically.)
*indicates player chosen to the 2010 Wooden Award ballot
# indicates 2010 Wooden All American
$ indicates 2009 Wooden Award Winner
@ indicates 2008 Wooden Award All American

2011 John R. Wooden Award

Men’s Ballot

(Players listed alphabetically.)

*indicates player chosen to the 2010 Wooden Award ballot