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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. Virginia junior guard Monica Wright (Woodbridge, Va.) has been named a preseason candidate for the Women’s Wooden Award All-American Team and Player of the Year trophy, announced Thursday. The Cavaliers begin the 2008-09 campaign with a Friday night exhibition against DT3. Tip-off from John Paul Jones Arena is 7 p.m.
The list is composed of 30 student-athletes who, based on last year’s individual performance and team records, are the early frontrunners for college basketball’s most prestigious honor.
Wright, also a preseason All-ACC selection and “Wade Watch” list member, was an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American last season after leading the Cavaliers in scoring (17.6 points per game) and steals (2.4 per game). Her 2007-08 postseason accolades also included a spot on the WBCA’s Region 2 All-America team, the All-ACC second team, ACC all-defensive team and ACC all-tournament team.
She notched her 1,000th-career point and set the single-season scoring record by a UVa sophomore with 598 points in 2007-08 and captained USA Basketball’s Under-19 World Championship team prior to the start of the season. During her freshman campaign in 2006-07, Wright was the ACC Rookie of the Year and a unanimous selection to the ACC All-Freshman team.
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
Jessica Adair, George Washington
Jayne Appel, Stanford
Chante Black, Duke
DeWanna Bonner, Auburn
Heather Bowman, Gonzaga
Tina Charles, Connecticut
Marissa Coleman, Maryland
Allyssa DeHaan, Michigan State
Krystal Ellis, Marquette
Rachele Fitz, Marist
Devanei Hampton, California
Ashley Houts, Georgia
Jareica Hughes, UTEP
Jantel Lavender, Ohio State
Shalee Lehning, Kansas State
Rashanda McCants, North Carolina
Angel McCoughtry, Louisville
Renee Montgomery, Connecticut
Maya Moore, Connecticut
Courtney Paris, Oklahoma
Ta’Shia Phillips, Xavier
Epiphanny Prince, Rutgers
Andrea Riley, Oklahoma State
Takia Starks, Texas A&M
Kristi Toliver, Maryland
Kia Vaughn, Rutgers
Ashley Walker, California
Christina Wirth, Vanderbilt
Monica Wright, Virginia
Shavonte Zellous, Pittsburgh