Feb. 10, 2009

The top 30 candidates for the John R. Wooden Award, one of the nation's most coveted college basketball honors, were announced recently by The Los Angeles Athletic Club's John R. Wooden Award Committee. Tennessee junior forward Tyler Smith finds himself on that elite list, giving the Volunteers under head coach Bruce Pearl a midseason Wooden Award candidate for the third straight year.

Composed of the players who will compete for this season's player of the year award, the midseason list is based on individual player performance and team records during the first half of the season.

Joining Smith on the list are returning Wooden Award winner Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina and Wooden All-America selections Stephen Curry of Davidson and Notre Dame's Luke Harangody.

Smith is one of three players from the Southeastern Conference to appear on the midseason top 30 list.

Thw Wooden Award national ballot, which will be selected in March and will consist of approximately 20 players, chosen by the Wooden Award National Advisory Board Committee, who have proven to their universities that they are also making progress toward graduation and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA.

More than 1,000 voters, comprised of sports media members and college basketball experts from across the nation, will then cast their votes to determine both the 10-member All-America Team and Player of the Year. In late March, the 10-player Wooden Award All-America Team will be announced.

For additional information on the Wooden Award or to view the complete midseason top 30 list, visit www.woodenaward.com.