Simien Named to Wooden Award Ballot

March 7, 2005

LOS ANGELES –

University of Kansas senior forward Wayne Simien has been listed as one of the 23 student-athletes on the 2005 John R. Wooden Award Ballot, the committee recently announced. Voters will chose a Wooden National Player of the Year and All-American Team by March 28 and award winners will be announced April 9.

The senior forward led the Big 12 Conference in scoring (19.4 ppg) and rebounding (11.1), and is the only player in the league to average a double-double this season.

The Leavenworth, Kan., native, has posted 12 games with 20 points or more this season, including a career-high 32-point effort versus Oklahoma State on Feb. 27, and a career-best 20 rebounds against Kansas State on March 2.

In order to be considered for the national ballot, all players must have been accredited by their university as meeting the Wooden Award criteria which includes making normal progress towards graduation and maintaining a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.

A panel of over 1,000 voters comprised of sports media members and college basketball experts from around the nation will cast their votes for both the 10-member All-American Team and Wooden Award recipient as the nation’s most outstanding collegiate basketball player.

Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball. Previous winners include such notables as Michael Jordan (’84), Larry Bird (’79), Tim Duncan (’97), and last year’s recipient, Jameer Nelson (’04).

KU legend Danny Manning, who averaged 24.8 points per game in leading the Jayhawks to the 1988 national title, was the 1988 Wooden Award recipient.

Wooden Award Ballot

Andrew Bogut, Utah
Dee Brown, Illinois
Taylor Coppenrath, Vermont
Ike Diogu, Arizona State
Francisco Garcia, Louisville
Ryan Gomes, Providence
Joey Graham, Oklahoma State
Luther Head, Illinois
John Lucas, Oklahoma State
Sean May, North Carolina
Rashad McCants, North Carolina
Chris Paul, Wake Forest
J.J. Redick, Duke
Lawrence Roberts, Mississippi State
Nate Robinson, Washington
Wayne Simien, Kansas
Craig Smith, Boston College
Salim Stoudamire, Arizona
Ronny Turiaf, Gonzaga
Hakim Warrick, Syracuse
Deron Williams, Illinois
Shelden Williams, Duke
Kennedy Winston, Alabama