Nov. 13, 2008

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The Atlantic Coast Conference is represented by eight players on the 2008-09 pre-season Wooden Award watch list. The ACC was represented by Boston College's Tyrese Rice, Duke's Gerald Henderson and Kyle Singler, Miami’s Jack McClinton, North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough, Wayne Ellington and Ty Lawson and Wake Forest’s James Johnson.

A year ago, North Carolina’s Hansbrough became the 12th ACC Player to earn Wooden National Player of the Year Award.

Past ACC Wooden National Player of the Years
2008 Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina
2006 J.J. Redick, Duke
2002 Jason Williams, Duke
2001 Shane Battier, Duke
1999 Elton Brand, Duke
1998 Antawn Jamison, North Carolina
1997 Tim Duncan, Wake Forest
1992 Christian Laettner, Duke
1984 Michael Jordan, North Carolina
1983 Ralph Sampson, Virginia
1982 Ralph Sampson, Virginia
1978 Phil Ford, North Carolina

The list is composed of 50 student athletes who, based on last year's individual performance and team records, are the early frontrunners for college basketball's most coveted trophy. These top 50 candidates are comprised of returning players. Transfers, freshmen, and medical red-shirts are not eligible for this preseason list, but will be evaluated and considered for both the Midseason Top 30 list and the National Ballot.

2008-09 John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 50
A.J. Abrams, Texas, Sr.
Wink Adams, UNLV, Sr.
DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh, So.
Jon Brockman, Washington, Sr.
Derrick Brown, Xavier, Jr.
Chase Budinger, Arizona, Jr.
Nick Calathes, Florida, So.
Dionte Christmas, Temple, Sr.
Earl Clark, Louisville, Jr.
Sherron Collins, Kansas, Jr.
Darren Collison, UCLA, Sr.
Lee Cummard, BYU, Sr.
Stephen Curry, Davidson, Jr.
Devan Downey, South Carolina, Jr.
Robert Dozier, Memphis, Sr.
Wayne Ellington, North Carolina, Jr.
Jonny Flynn, Syracuse, So.
Taj Gibson, USC, Jr.
Blake Griffin, Oklahoma, So.
Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina, Sr.
Luke Harangody, Notre Dame, Jr.
James Harden, Arizona State, So.
Gerald Henderson, Duke, Jr.
Lester Hudson, UT-Martin, Sr.
Robbie Hummel, Purdue, So.
Stefon Jackson, UTEP, Sr.
Dominic James, Marquette, Sr.
Damion James, Texas, Jr.
Curtis Jerrells, Baylor, Sr.
James Johnson, Wake Forest, So.
Marcus Landry, Wisconsin, Sr.
Ty Lawson, North Carolina, Jr.
Eric Maynor, VCU, Sr.
Jack McClinton, Miami (Fla.), Sr.
Jerel McNeal, Marquette, Sr.
Patrick Mills, Saint Mary's, So.
Raymar Morgan, Michigan State, Jr.
A.J. Ogilvy, Vanderbilt, So.
Jeremy Pargo, Gonzaga, Sr.
Patrick Patterson, Kentucky, So.
A.J. Price, Connecticut, Sr.
Scottie Reynolds, Villanova, Jr.
Tyrese Rice, Boston College, Sr.
Kyle Singler, Duke, So.
Tyler Smith, Tennessee, Jr.
DaJuan Summers, Georgetown, Jr.
Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut, Jr.
Robert Vaden, UAB, Sr.
Terrence Williams, Louisville, Sr.
Sam Young, Pittsburgh, Jr.