LOS ANGELES, CA (March 28, 2016) – The Los Angeles Athletic Club announced the 2016 John R. Wooden Award^® Women’s All-Americans on a 30-minute show on ESPNU. Selected by hundreds of national college basketball media members and the Award’s former winners, the All-American team is made up of five student-athletes who were the top vote-getters in the quest to earn college basketball’s most prestigious honor. The team consists of, alphabetically: Rachel Banham (Minnesota), Nina Davis (Baylor), Moriah Jefferson (Connecticut),  Kelsey Mitchell (Ohio State), Tiffany Mitchell (South Carolina), Kelsey Plum (Washington), Breanna Stewart (Connecticut), Morgan Tuck (Connecticut), Brianna Turner (Notre Dame) and A’ja Wilson (South Carolina). The five players that are invited to Los Angeles are Banham, Jefferson, Kelsey Mitchell, Stewart and Wilson. Stewart is the 2015 John R. Wooden Award Player of the Year and a three-time Wooden Award All-American. 

The 40^th annual presentation of the John R. Wooden Award to the men’s and women’s most outstanding basketball player will be the anchor presentation of the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show presented by Wendy’s on ESPN2 on Friday, April 8 at 8 pm (EDT). The men’s and women’s John R. Wooden Award All-American Teams will be honored during the ceremony, and the 2016 Wooden Award Legends of Coaching^™ Trophy, which will be presented to Tubby Smith, Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Texas Tech.

Voting was from March 15-22, 2016, allowing voters to take into consideration the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Voting ended March 22. As insisted upon by Coach Wooden, at the Award’s creation 40 years ago, all players have been certified by their universities as meeting the criteria of the John R. Wooden Award presented by Wendy’s.

About the John R. Wooden Award

Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award program features the most prestigious individual honors in college basketball. The Wooden Award Trophy is bestowed annually upon the nation’s best male and female player who have been certified by their universities as meeting the criteria of the award. Previous winners include such notables as Larry Bird (‘79), Michael Jordan (’84), Tim Duncan (’97),

Candace Parker (’07 and ’08), Kevin Durant (‘07), Maya Moore (’09 and ’11), Trey Burke (’13) and Doug McDermott (’14). Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky won the 2015 Wooden Award presented by Wendy’s and Breanna Stewart of Connecticut won the 2015 Wooden Award.

Since its inception, the John R. Wooden Award® has contributed close to a million dollars to the general scholarship fund of the honoree’s University in the name of the All-American recipient. The Award has also enabled more than 1,000 underprivileged children to week-long basketball camps in the Award’s name. Additionally, the John R. Wooden Award partners with the Special Olympics Southern California each year to host the Wooden Award Special Olympics Southern California Basketball Tournament. The day-long tournament takes place at the Los Angeles Athletic Club the weekend of the John R. Wooden Award® presentation, and brings together Special Olympics athletes and the Wooden Award All-Americans.

Fans can follow the candidates en route to the Wooden Award presentation and get the latest news by liking the Wooden Award Facebook page or following @WoodenAward on Twitter and Instagram. For more information on the John R. Wooden Award, please contact Ernest Baskerville at (213) 630-5231 or via email at [email protected].

2015-16 John R. Wooden Award All-Americans, Women

* indicates player selected as 2014-15 Wooden Award Player of the Year

# indicates player selected as a 2014-15 Wooden Award All-American