University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heel junior Deja Kelly has been named to the preseason watch list for the Wooden Award.
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Kelly Named To Wooden Award Preseason Watch List
November 15, 2022 | Women's Basketball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – UNC junior Deja Kelly has been named to the Preseason Top 50 Watch List for the Women's Wooden Award, announced on Tuesday.
Selected by a national poll of college basketball experts, the list is comprised of 50 student-athletes who are the early front-runners for the Wooden Award All American Team™ and Most Outstanding Player Award.
Kelly, a guard from San Antonio, has also been named to the preseason All-ACC Team and the watch lists for the Nancy Lieberman Award (nation's top point guard) and the Naismith Trophy.
The Atlantic Coast Conference leads all leagues on the Wooden Award watch list with 12 players. The Big Ten and SEC have eight each, the Big 12 with seven, the Pac-12 with six, the Big East with five and the ASUN, Atlantic 10, Missouri Valley and Summit with one selection apiece.
The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2023 John R. Wooden Award Women's Player of the Year presented by Wendy's. Players not chosen to the preseason list are still eligible for the Wooden Award™ midseason list, late season list, and the National Ballot. The National Ballot consists of 15 top players who have proven to their universities that they meet or exceed the qualifications of the Wooden Award. Nearly 1,000 voters will rank in order 10 of those 15 players when voting opens prior to the NCAA Tournament and will allow voters to take into consideration performance during early round games. The Wooden Award All American Team™ will be announced the week of the "Elite Eight" round of the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the 2023 John R. Wooden Award will be presented in Los Angeles in April.
For a look at the full list, click here.
Selected by a national poll of college basketball experts, the list is comprised of 50 student-athletes who are the early front-runners for the Wooden Award All American Team™ and Most Outstanding Player Award.
Kelly, a guard from San Antonio, has also been named to the preseason All-ACC Team and the watch lists for the Nancy Lieberman Award (nation's top point guard) and the Naismith Trophy.
The Atlantic Coast Conference leads all leagues on the Wooden Award watch list with 12 players. The Big Ten and SEC have eight each, the Big 12 with seven, the Pac-12 with six, the Big East with five and the ASUN, Atlantic 10, Missouri Valley and Summit with one selection apiece.
The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2023 John R. Wooden Award Women's Player of the Year presented by Wendy's. Players not chosen to the preseason list are still eligible for the Wooden Award™ midseason list, late season list, and the National Ballot. The National Ballot consists of 15 top players who have proven to their universities that they meet or exceed the qualifications of the Wooden Award. Nearly 1,000 voters will rank in order 10 of those 15 players when voting opens prior to the NCAA Tournament and will allow voters to take into consideration performance during early round games. The Wooden Award All American Team™ will be announced the week of the "Elite Eight" round of the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the 2023 John R. Wooden Award will be presented in Los Angeles in April.
For a look at the full list, click here.
Players Mentioned
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