Foster on Wooden Midseason Watch List

Jan. 28, 2008

Vanderbilt senior Shan Foster was named to the John R. Wooden Award Midseason Watch List, a list of 30 college players who will compete for this season’s player of the year award. The midseason list is based on individual player performance and team records during the first half of the season.

Foster, a 6’6 guard/forward from Kenner, La., currently averages 19.5 points per game, second in the SEC, and recently became the school’s all-time leader for three pointers made in a career. Foster also is in fourth place on VU’s all-time scoring list, and is within striking distance of Matt Freije for the all-time scoring record. Freije, who played from 2001-04, scored 1,891 points in his career.

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 cumulative 2.0 GPA. Previous winners include Larry Bird (’79), Michael Jordan (’84), and Tim Duncan (’97) and last year’s recipients, Kevin Durant of Texas and returning player Candace Parker of Tennessee.

Since its inception, the John R. Wooden Award has contributed nearly one million dollars to universities’ general scholarship fund in the names of the All-American recipients and has 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-American players, takes place at The Los Angeles Athletic Club on the Friday of the John R. Wooden Award weekend.

The 2008 Award ceremony, which will include the presentation of the Men’s and Women’s Wooden Award winners, the Wooden Award All-American Teams, and the Legends of Coaching Award to Pat Summitt of the University of Tennessee, will be held at The Los Angeles Athletic Club the weekend of April 11-12. The 32nd Annual Wooden Award Gala, with a reception and dinner program, will take place the evening of Friday, April 11 at the Sheraton Downtown Los Angeles. On Saturday, April 12, the Wooden Award Announcement and trophy presentation will be televised, followed by a press conference and sponsor reception.

Wooden Award – Midseason Top 30