Jan. 11, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky’s Victoria Dunlap (Nashville, Tenn.) was named to The John R. Wooden Award Midseason Top-20 list announced today by The Los Angeles Athletic Club. The list is comprised of 20 student-athletes who, based on last year’s individual performance and team records, are the current frontrunners for college basketball’s most prestigious honor.
Last year’s Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and State Farm/WBCA All-American is one of the nation’s most versatile players again this season as she is listed in the top five of eight SEC statistical categories, including leading the league and ranking seventh nationally in steals per game (3.4). She also ranks second in the SEC in scoring (17.2 ppg) and free throw percentage (.731), third in blocked shots (1.9 bpg) and fourth in rebounding (9.4 rpg) and field goal percentage (.463).
After totaling 53 points and 28 rebounds in three games last week, the 6-foot-1 senior moved up to No. 6 on UK’s all-time scoring list (1,525) and No. 3 on the career double-doubles list (25). She is No. 3 in career free-throws made (376) and needs only one more block to climb to No. 2 on that list (155). Overall, she ranks in the top 10 on 11 career lists at UK.
Dunlap, chosen as the preseason SEC Player of the Year by the media and league coaches, also is on the watch lists for the Naismith Trophy, the State Farm Wade Trophy and the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award.
She is one of two SEC players on the prestigious Wooden Award midseason list along with Tennessee’s Angie Bjorklund.
The 35th annual Wooden Award ceremony, which will include the announcement of the Men’s and Women’s Wooden Award winners, a special tribute to Coach Wooden and Wooden Award founder Duke Llewellyn, and the presentation of the Wooden Award All-American Teams and the Legends of Coaching Award, given to Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo, will take place April 8, 2011.
About the John R. Wooden Award
Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball. It is bestowed upon the nation’s best player at an institution of higher education who has proven to his or her university that he or she is making progress toward graduation and maintaining a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA. Previous winners include such notables as Larry Bird (’79), Michael Jordan (’84), Tim Duncan (’97), Blake Griffin (’09) and Maya Moore of Connecticut (’09). Ohio State’s Evan Turner and Connecticut’s Tina Charles won the Award in 2010.
Since its inception, the John R. Wooden Award has contributed close to a million dollars to universities’ general scholarship fund in the names of the All American recipients. The Award has also sent more than 1,000 underprivileged children to week-long college basketball camps in the Award’s name. Additionally, the John R. Wooden Award partners with Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC) each year to host the Wooden Award Special Olympics Southern California Basketball Tournament. The day-long tournament, which brings together Special Olympic athletes and the All Americans, takes place at The Los Angeles Athletic Club on the Friday prior to the John R. Wooden Award Ceremony.
Follow the candidates and get the latest news throughout the season by logging on to www.WoodenAward.com. For more information on the John R. Wooden Award, please contact the Wooden Award staff at 213-630-5206 or email at woodenaward@laac.net.
| Name | Height | Class | Position | University | Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Danielle Adams | 6-1 | Sr. | F/C | Texas A&M | Big 12 |
| Kachine Alexander | 5-9 | Sr. | G | Iowa | Big Ten |
| Angie Bjorklund | 6-0 | Sr. | G/F | Tennessee | SEC |
| Jessica Breland | 6-3 | Sr. | F | North Carolina | ACC |
| Skylar Diggins | 5-9 | So. | G | Notre Dame | Big East |
| Jasmine Dixon | 6-0 | Jr. | G | UCLA | Pac-10 |
| Victoria Dunlap | 6-1 | Sr. | F | Kentucky | SEC |
| Dawn Evans1 | 5-7 | Sr. | G | James Madison | CAA |
| Brittney Griner | 6-8 | So. | C | Baylor | Big 12 |
| Amber Harris1 | 6-5 | Sr. | F | Xavier | A10 |
| Shenise Johnson | 5-11 | Jr. | F | Miami | ACC |
| Jantel Lavender1 | 6-4 | Sr. | C | Ohio State | Big Ten |
| Italee Lucas | 5-8 | Sr. | G | North Carolina | ACC |
| Maya Moore 1,2,3 | 6-0 | Sr. | F | Connecticut | Big East |
| Nnemkadi Ogwumike1,2 | 6-2 | Jr. | F | Stanford | Pac-10 |
| Kayla Pedersen1 | 6-4 | Jr. | F | Stanford | Pac-10 |
| Danielle Robinson1 | 5-9 | Sr. | G | Oklahoma | Big 12 |
| Sugar Rodgers | 5-11 | So. | G | Georgetown | Big East |
| Jasmine Thomas1 | 5-9 | Sr. | G | Duke | ACC |
| Courtney Vandersloot1 | 5-8 | Sr. | G | Gonzaga | WCC |
Players listed alphabetically.
1 indicates player chosen to the 2010 Wooden Award ballot
2 Indicates 2010 Wooden Award All American
3 Indicates 2009 Wooden Award winner
