Shenise Johnson Named a Wooden Award Finalist

March 16, 2011

LOS ANGELES – University ofMiami junior guard Shenise Johnson has been included among the nation’s Top 20 players listed on the John R. Wooden Award National Ballot, as announced by The Los Angeles Athletic Club.

Johnson, who was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year on March 3 has also been named to the Wade and Naismith National Player of the Year lists.

“Shenise has had such an outstanding season and is one of the most consistent players in the country,” said Miami head coach Katie Meier. “She is huge reason why we shared the ACC championship this year and needs to be recognized for her individual season, but more so for her ability to turn around a program with her incredible performances.”

The dynamic guard currently is the only player in the ACC to rank in the Top 10 in scoring (2nd, 19.7 ppg), rebounding (5th, 8.2 rpg) and assists (9th, 3.7 apg). Johnson, who had a league-high three 30-point performances and 12 20-point showings while being named the ACC Player of the Week on three occasions this season, was also named First-Team All-ACC and to the ACC All-Defensive team.

The 35th annual Wooden Award ceremony, which will include the announcement of the men’s and women’s Wooden Award winners, a tribute to Coach Wooden and Wooden Award Founder, Duke Llewellyn, and the presentation of the Wooden Award All American Team trophies and the Legends of Coaching Award to Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo, will take place April 8, 2011 at The Los Angeles Athletic Club.

Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball.  It is bestowed upon the nation’s best player at an institution of higher education who has proven to his or her university that he or she is making progress toward graduation and maintaining a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA.  Previous winners include such notables as Larry Bird (’79), Michael Jordan (’84), Tim Duncan (’97), Blake Griffin (’09) and Maya Moore of Connecticut (’09). Ohio State’s Evan Turner and Connecticut’s Tina Charles won the Award in 2010.

Since its inception, the John R. Wooden Award has contributed close to a million dollars to universities’ general scholarship fund in the names of the All American recipients. The Award has also sent more than 1,000 underprivileged children to week-long college basketball camps in the Award’s name.   Additionally, the John R. Wooden Award partners with Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC) each year to host the Wooden Award Special Olympics Southern California Basketball Tournament.  The tournament, which brings together Special Olympic athletes and the All Americans, takes place at The Los Angeles Athletic Club the morning after the John R. Wooden Award Ceremony.