UConn Huskies women’s basketball players Tina Charles, Maya Moore and Renee Montgomery were all named to the Preseason Wooden Award team. Moore was a member of the team last season.
They were among 30 candidates on the initial list which serves as precursor to the final team and award winner that will be announced in March during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Final 8.
The list will be paired down to 20 players in January and the final 15 players will be put on the ballot in March.
The Huskies are the only team with 3 members on the list. Maryland (Kristi Toliver and Marissa Coleman), Rutgers (Epiphanny Prince, Kia Vaughn) and California (Devanei Hampton, Ashley Walker) all have 2 players. The Big East is well represented as well with a total of 8 players as Louisville’s Angel McCoughtry, Pittsburgh’s Shavonte Zellous and Marquette’s Krystal Ellis were named as well.
A full look at the team after the jump.
| 2008-09 John R. Wooden Award | ||||
| Preseason Top 30 List – Women’s Category | ||||
| Player | Height | Position | Class | University |
| Jessica Adair | 6-4 | C/F | Sr. | George Washington |
| Jayne Appel | 6-4 | F/C | Jr. | Stanford |
| Chante Black | 6-5 | F/C | Sr. | Duke |
| DeWanna Bonner | 6-4 | G | Sr. | Auburn |
| Heather Bowman | 6-2 | F | Jr. | Gonzaga |
| Tina Charles | 6-4 | C | Jr. | Connecticut |
| Marissa Coleman | 6-1 | G/F | Sr. | Maryland |
| Allyssa DeHaan | 6-9 | C | Jr. | Michigan Stat |
| Krystal Ellis | 5-9 | G | Sr. | Marquette |
| Rachele Fitz | 6-0 | F | Jr. | Marist |
| Devanei Hampton | 6-3 | F/C | Sr. | Cal |
| Ashley Houts | 5-6 | G | Jr. | Georgia |
| Jareica Hughes | 5-3 | G | Jr. | UTEP |
| Jantel Lavender | 6-4 | C | So. | Ohio State |
| Shalee Lehning | 5-9 | G | Sr. | Kansas Stat |
| Rashanda McCants | 6-1 | G/F | Sr. | North Carolina |
| Angel McCoughtry | 6-1 | F | Sr. | Louisville |
| Renee Montgomery | 5-7 | G | Sr. | Connecticut |
| Maya Moore * | 6-0 | F | So. | Connecticut |
| Courtney Paris * ^ ~ | 6-4 | C | Sr. | Oklahoma |
| Ta’Shia Phillips | 6-6 | C | So. | Xavier |
| Epiphanny Prince | 5-9 | G | Jr. | Rutgers |
| Andrea Riley | 5-5 | G | Jr. | Oklahoma State |
| Takia Starks | 5-8 | G | Sr. | Texas A&M |
| Kristi Toliver | 5-7 | G | Sr. | Maryland |
| Kia Vaughn | 6-4 | C | Sr. | Rutgers |
| Ashley Walker | 6-1 | F | Sr. | California |
| Christina Wirth | 6-1 | F | Sr. | Vanderbilt |
| Monica Wright | 5-11 | G | Jr. | Virginia |
| Shavonte Zellous | 5-11 | G | Sr. | Pittsburgh |
| – | ||||
| * Indicates player was a 2007-2008 John R. Wooden Award All-American. | ||||
| ^ Indicates player was a 2006-2007 John R. Wooden Award All-American. | ||||
| ~ Indicates player was a 2005-2006 John R. Wooden Award All-American. | ||||
