James Named Preseason Wooden Award Candidate

Aug. 12, 2005

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami senior forward Tamara James has been named a preseason candidate for the 2005-06 Women’s Wooden Award presented annually to the nation’s top women’s collegiate basketball player.

James, a native of Dania, Fla., is one of 30 players, who based on accomplishments last season, are selected by the National Advisory Board as preseason frontrunners for the national coveted award in 2005-06.

James enters her senior campaign at UM ranked fourth all-time in school history in scoring with 1,761 points and third all-time in scoring average (20.0 ppg).

She has led the Hurricanes in scoring in each of her previous three seasons, including last year when she paced both UM and the ACC with a career-best 22.3 points per game on her way to being named an AP and Kodak/WBCA Honorable Mention All-American as well as a First Team All-ACC selection.

In 2004-05, James, who ended the season ranked fourth in the NCAA in scoring, was the only player in the ACC to score in double-figures in every game and recorded more 30-point (5) and 20-point (17) games than any other player in the conference.

The Wooden Award Committee will narrow the preseason list, along with any additional candidates, and release the Midseason Top 20 List in mid-January, followed in March by the official ballot which will consist of approximately 15 players.