March 5, 2008
ST. LOUIS – Vanderbilt senior Shan Forward has been named as a finalist for the U.S. Basketball Writers Association’s Oscar Robertson Trophy, given to the nation’s top player, and Commodore head coach Kevin Stallings was named as a finalist for the USBWA’s Henry Iba Award, given to the nation’s top collegiate coach.
Foster, the lone SEC representative, joins D.J. Augustin (Texas), Michael Beasley (Kansas State), Chris Douglas- Roberts (Memphis), Tyler Hansbrough (North Carolina), Luke Harangody (Notre Dame), Robbie Hummel (Purdue), Kevin Love (UCLA), A.J. Price (Connecticut), and D.J. White (Indiana) on the 10-man squad.
The Oscar Robertson Trophy is awarded to the USBWA’s Player of the Year. It is the nation’s oldest award and the only one named after a former player. The legendary Oscar Robertson was the USBWA’s first player of the year in 1959. The USBWA renamed its player of the year award the Oscar Robertson Trophy in 1998.
The Iba Award, first presented in 1959 and named for the legendary Oklahoma State coach, is given to the nation’s top coach. Stallings is joined by other finalists Rick Barnes (Texas), Keno Davis (Drake), John Calipari (Memphis), Mike Krzyzewski (Duke); Lon Kruger (UNLV), Sean Miller (Xavier), Matt Painter (Purdue), Bruce Pearl (Tennessee), Rick Pitino (Louisville), Bo Ryan (Wisconsin), and Herb Sendek (Arizona State).
From the list of nominees, finalists for each award will be announced later this month and the presentation of both awards will take place at the USBWA’s annual awards breakfast at Sunset Station in conjunction with the Men’s Final Four in San Antonio. Each award is voted on by the entire membership of the association, which consists of nearly 800 journalists.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. Today, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball.