Aldrich, Collins on Preseason Wooden Award

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Kansas senior Sherron Collins and junior Cole Aldrich were each named 2009-10 preseason candidates for the men's basketball John R. Wooden Award All-American Team and Player of the Year trophy announced Wednesday by Richard "Duke" Llewellyn, Wooden Award Chairman and founder.

Of the 50 candidates listed, Collins was one of four who have appeared on the Wooden Award ballot at season's end. The other three include Luke Harangody of Notre Dame, Duke's Kyle Singler, Michigan State's Kalin Lucas and Purdue's Robbie Hummel. Hummel was on the 2008 ballot while the others were on the 2009 ballot.

"There are a lot of great guys on that list and this says a lot for me and Cole," Collins said. "They break the list down as the season goes along and hopefully we can play to our potential and stay on the list."

Collins, who was on the same list last year, was an All-Big 12 First Team selection last season where he was third in the Big 12 with an 18.9 scoring average. The 5-11, 205 pound, Chicago guard posted 14 games of 20-plus points in 2008-09, including a career-high 32 points against North Dakota State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Entering his senior season, KU is 91-16 (85 percent) in games Collins has played, including three Big 12 regular-season championships, two Big 12 postseason championships, two NCAA Elite Eights, three Sweet 16s and one national championship.

Aldrich was also a 2009 All-Big 12 First Team selection where he averaged a double-double with 14.9 points and 11.1 rebounds. The 6-11, 245 pound, Bloomington, Minn., center led the Big 12 in blocked shots with 2.7 per game. Aldrich recorded the first official triple-double in school history with 13 points, 20 rebounds and 10 blocked shots against Dayton in the second round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament before his hometown crowd at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis. Additionally, Aldrich's 94 blocked shots in 2008-09 are second on the KU single-season list.

"This is an honor for me and Sherron to be mentioned with those great players," Aldrich said. "Preseason honors are nice and normally a reflection of our team's potential. Right now we're in the weight room just trying to get ready for the upcoming season."

Preseason No. 1 by many entities, Kansas is coming off a 27-8 season in which it won its fifth straight and ninth overall Big 12 Conference regular-season championship. The Jayhawks return their top nine scorers from last season's NCAA Sweet 16 team, including all five starters.

With Collins and Aldrich named, Kansas was one of nine schools to have two chosen to the Wooden Award preseason Top 50. Additionally, the KU duo was two of six players from the Big 12 on the list.

2009-10 John R. Wooden Award

Preseason Top 50 List

Name Height Class Position University Conference

Solomon Alabi 7-1 So. C Florida State ACC

Cole Aldrich 6-11 Jr. C Kansas Big 12

Al-Farouq Aminu 6-9 So. F Wake Forest ACC

Luke Babbit 6-9 So. F Nevada WAC

Talor Battle 5-11 Jr. G Penn State Big Ten

Trevor Booker 6-7 Sr. F Clemson ACC

Matt Bouldin 6-5 Sr. G Gonzaga West Coast

Craig Brackins 6-10 Jr. F Iowa State Big 12

Da'Sean Butler 6-7 Sr. F West Virginia Big East

Sherron Collins 5-11 Sr. G Kansas Big 12

Ed Davis 6-10 So. F North Carolina ACC

Devan Downey 5-9 Sr G South Carolina SEC

Jerome Dyson 6-3 Sr. G Connecticut Big East

Devin Ebanks 6-9 So. F West Virginia Big East

Corey Fisher 6-1 Jr. G Villanova Big East

Luke Harangody *# 6-8 Sr. F Notre Dame Big East

Manny Harris 6-5 Jr. G Michigan Big Ten

Gordon Hayward 6-8 So. G/F Butler Horizon

Jeremy Hazell 6-5 Jr. G Seton Hall Big East

Robbie Hummel 6-8 Jr. F Purdue Big Ten

Damion James 6-7 Sr. G/F Texas Big 12

Sylven Landesberg 6-6 So. G Virginia ACC

Gani Lawal 6-9 Jr. F Georgia Tech ACC

Kalin Lucas 6-0 Jr. G Michigan State Big Ten

Tasmin Mitchell 6-7 Sr. F Louisiana State SEC

Greg Monroe 6-11 So. C Georgetown Big East

E'Twaun Moore 6-3 Jr. G Purdue Big Ten

Raymar Morgan 6-8 Sr. F Michigan State Big Ten

A.J. Ogilvy 6-11 Jr. C Vanderbilt SEC

Patrick Patterson 6-9 Jr. F Kentucky SEC

Jerome Randle 5-10 Sr. G California Pac 10

Scottie Reynolds 6-2 Jr. G Villanova Big East

Samardo Samuels 6-8 So. F Louisville Big East

Larry Sanders 6-11 Jr. F VCU CAA

Jon Scheyer 6-5 Sr. G Duke ACC

DeShawn Sims 6-8 Sr. F Michigan Big Ten

Kyle Singler 6-8 Jr. F Duke ACC

Tyler Smith 6-7- Sr. G/F Tennessee SEC

Isaiah Thomas 5-8 So. G Washington Pac 10

Deon Thompson 6-8 Sr. F North Carolina ACC

J.T. Tiller 6-3 Sr. G Missouri Big 12

Evan Turner 6-7 Jr. G/F Ohio State Big Ten

Jarvis Varnado 6-9 Sr. F/C Mississippi State SEC

Greivis Vasquez 6-6 Sr. G Maryland ACC

Deonta Vaughn 6-1 Sr. G Cincinnati Big East

Kemba Walker 6-1 So. G Connecticut Big East

Willie Warren 6-4 So. G Oklahoma Big 12

Terrico White 6-5 So. G Mississippi SEC

Nic Wise 5-10 Sr. G Arizona Pac 10

Chris Wright 6-8 Jr. F Dayton Atlantic 10

(Based on a preseason poll. Players listed alphabetically.)

*indicates 2009 Wooden All-American

# indicates 2008 Wooden All-American

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