George Washington University Athletics
Jessica Adair Named Preseason Wooden Award Candidate
11/5/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 5, 2008
LOS ANGELES, CA - George Washington senior center Jessica Adair was named one of 30 preseason candidates for the 2008-09 Women's Wooden Award All-American Team as announced by the John R. Wooden Award committee Wednesday.
Adair earned her second consecutive Atlantic 10 First Team All-Conference selection last season after leading GW in scoring at 15.2 points per game. She also paced the Colonials in field-goal percentage (.520) and blocks (1.2 bpg) and was second on the team in rebounding at 6.1 boards per game. Adair enters the 2008-09 season with 1,049 career points -- 21st all-time at GW - and is on pace to enter the program's career Top 10 in both scoring and rebounding.
Adair is one of two starters and eight letterwinners returning from last year's 27-7 team that reached the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 for the second consecutive season and was ranked No. 14 in the final ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll.
Adair was one of two Atlantic 10 players named to the preseason Wooden Award list along with Xavier's Ta'Shia Phillips. 2008-09 opponents Auburn (DeWanna Bonner), Rutgers (Epiphanny Prince, Kia Vaughn) and Texas A&M (Takia Starks) also had players chosen for the preseason list.
The award, named in honor of three-time college basketball All-American, 1932 Player of the Year and ten-time national championship coach John Wooden, is bestowed upon the nation's best player who is proven to be making progress toward graduation while maintaining a cumulative 2.0 grade-point average. The top 30 candidates are comprised of returning players and based on last year's individual performance and team records.
The list will be evaluated and considered for both the Midseason Top 20 list and the National Ballot. Over 200 voters, comprised of sports media members and women's college basketball experts from across the nation, will cast their votes for the five-member All-America team and Wooden Award honor.
Follow the candidates and get the latest news throughout the season by logging on to www.WOODENAWARD.com.
