Wooden Award Midseason Top 30

I received a press release earlier Monday evening from the Los Angeles Athletic Club and the Wooden Award committee, announcing the top-30 midseason candidates for the award. Here are some of the highlights from the release, as well as the list of players.

• Cole Aldrich, C, Kansas
  
• Al-Farouq Aminu, F, Wake Forest
  
• James Anderson, G, Oklahoma State
  
• Trevor Booker, F, Clemson
  
• Matt Bouldin, G, Gonzaga
  
• Da’Sean Butler, F, West Virginia
  
• Sherron Collins, G, Kansas
  
• Ed Davis, F, North Carolina
  
• Jerome Dyson, G, Connecticut
  
• Jimmer Fredette, G, BYU
  
• Luke Harangody, F, Notre Dame
  
• Manny Harris, G, Michigan
  
• Gordon Hayward, G/F, Butler
  
• Xavier Henry, G, Kansas
  
• Darington Hobson, G/F, New Mexico
  
• Robbie Hummel, F, Purdue
  
• Damion James, F, Texas
  
• Wesley Johnson, F, Syracuse
  
• Jeremy Lin, G, Harvard
  
• Kalin Lucas, G, Michigan State
  
• Greg Monroe, C, Georgetown
  
• Patrick Patterson, F, Kentucky
  
• Quincy Pondexter, F, Washington
  
• Scottie Reynolds, G, Washington
  
• Omar Samhan, C, Saint Mary’s
  
• Jon Scheyer, G, Duke
  
• Kyle Singler, F, Duke
  
• Klay Thompson, G, Washington State
  
• Jarvis Varnado, C, Mississippi State
  
• John Wall, G, Kentucky
  
• Evan Turner, G/F, Ohio State*
  

Notes:

- Among the Midseason Top 30 candidates are returning Wooden Award All-American Luke Harangody (2008, 2009) of Notre Dame and returning players from last year’s Wooden Award ballot, Sherron Collins of Kansas, Duke’s Kyle Singler and Kalin Lucas of Michigan State.

- The list contains 31 players, not the traditional 30, because the playing status of Ohio State’s Evan Turner is uncertain due to a back injury.

- Three teams have multiple players nominated: Kansas (Collins, Cole Aldrich and Xavier Henry); Duke (Singler and Jon Scheyer); and Kentucky (Patrick Patterson and John Wall).

- The Big East led the Midseason Top 30 with six players selected. The Big 12 and ACC follow with five selections, the Big Ten with four, the SEC with three, the Pac-10, Mountain West and West Coast with two and the Horizon League and Ivy League with one selection each.

- Overall, more than 90 different players received votes.

- 10 players who were not on the preseason list were selected to the midseason Top 30: John Wall (Kentucky), Xavier Henry (Kansas), James Anderson (Oklahoma State), Jimmer Fredette (Brigham Young), Darington Hobson (New Mexico), Wesley Johnson (Syracuse), Jeremy Lin (Harvard), Quincy Pondexter (Washington), Omar Samhan (Saint Mary’s) and Klay Thompson (Washington State).