Gaines a Candidate for Senior CLASS Award

Nov. 18, 2002

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - University of Louisville senior guard Reece Gaines has been selected as a candidate for the second annual Senior CLASS Award, presented annually to the nation's senior player-of-the-year for NCAA Division I men's and women's basketball. The inaugural award winners last season were Juan Dixon of Maryland and Sue Bird of Connecticut.

The "Players to Watch" on the men's side include representatives from 15 different conferences, nine of which have multiple players on the list. The SEC has the most nominations with six players being listed. There are also four teams with multiple listings: Kansas, Arizona, Oklahoma and Florida.

The list of women's "Players to Watch" include representatives from 15 conferences, eight of which have multiple players on the list. The SEC also has the most women's players, with six nominations. There are five players on the women's list that were AP All-Americans last season, including two first-team selections.

Named to the All-Conference USA, USBWA All-District, and NABC All-District teams last season, Gaines led the Cardinals in scoring (21.0, 2nd in C-USA, No. 25 in NCAA), assists (3.6), free throw percentage (.800), and his 91 three-point goals were the second most in school history.

Just the second U of L player in 30 years to average over 20 points a game, Gaines will enter his senior season ranked No. 22 on the all-time Louisville scoring list. Only Pervis Ellison (1985-89), DeJuan Wheat (1993-97) and Darrell Griffith (1976-80) -- U of L's top three career scorers -- scored more in their initial three seasons than Gaines' 1,371 career points.

Earlier this summer, Gaines was honored on the Wooden Award Preseason All-American Team, a list of 50 student-athletes who, based on last year's individual performance and team records, are the early frontrunners for college basketball's John R. Wooden Award which honors the collegiate player of the year. He is also among 30 players selected as preseason candidates for the 2002-2003 Naismith college basketball player of the year award.

The formation of the Senior CLASS Award - an acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School - was announced during last season's college basketball season. The CLASS Award was developed in response to the recent trend of college basketball players leaving college early to turn professional.

Selection criteria is based on a number of factors, the most important being that the recipient must have exhausted their four years of eligibility and have fulfilled their commitment to their respective university. In addition, the recipient must be working toward their degree, be in good academic standing and be of sound moral character.

The performances of the "Players to Watch" for both men and women will be tracked during the season. From that pool of players, a national committee of sportscasters and sportswriters who cover college basketball on the Division I level will select 10 Finalists.

The names of these Finalists will appear on the official ballot during the national voting process in March. The selection of the men's and women's award winner will be based on the cumulative ballots of the national media committee and Division I college basketball coaches. The winner will be announced during the respective NCAA Final Four events in March.

"The inaugural year of the Senior CLASS Award came together with a storybook ending, as both winners led their team to the national championship," said Gary Heise, President of Premier Sports Management, the company responsible for the overall administration of the award. "With Juan Dixon and Sue Bird having already set a high benchmark, we are very impressed with the candidates for year two. Senior players are dominating the preseason All-American teams and it will be an intriguing race in the balloting for the 2002-03 award winners."

The 2003 Men's Senior CLASS Award "Players to Watch"

Player          SchoolMarcus Bailey       University of WyomingTroy Bell       Boston CollegeSteven Blake        University of MarylandBrett Blizzard      UNC-WilmingtonKeith Bogans        University of KentuckyMatt Bonner     University of FloridaNick Collison       University of KansasBrian Cook      University of IllinoisTom Coverdale       Indiana UniversityWillie Deane        Purdue UniversityHenry Domercant Eastern Illinois UniversityErwin Dudley        University of AlabamaRonald Dupree       Louisiana State UniversityEbi Ere         University of OklahomaReece Gaines      University of LouisvilleJason Gardner       University of ArizonaMarcus Hatten       St. John's UniversityKirk Hinrich        University of KansasJosh Howard         Wake Forest UniversityBrandon Hunter      Ohio UniversityBritton Johnsen     University of UtahDahntay Jones       Duke UniversityJason Kapono        UCLABrandin Knight      University of PittsburghKyle Korver     Creighton UniversityChris Marcus        Western Kentucky UniversityBrett Nelson        University of FloridaKirk Penney     University of WisconsinHollis Price        University of OklahomaHector Romero       University of New OrleansRon Slay        University of TennesseeTheron Smith        Ball State UniversityDarrell Tucker      University of San FranciscoLuke Walton     University of ArizonaTravis Watson       University of VirginiaDavid West      Xavier University

The 2003 Women's Senior CLASS Award "Players to Watch"

Player          SchoolJordan Adams        University of New MexicoChantelle Anderson  Vanderbilt UniversityKristine Austgulen  Virginia Commonwealth UniversityGunta Basko     Siena UniversityTamara Bowie        Ball State UniversitySyretta Bromfield   Michigan State UniversityCoretta Brown       University of North CarolinaCourtney Coleman    Ohio State UniversityMolly Creamer       Bucknell UniversityAngela Davidson Northwestern State UniversityTamika Dudley   Long Island UniversityCrissy Floyd        Clemson UniversityCheryl Ford     Louisiana Tech UniversityCaton Hill          University of OklahomaConstance Jinks UNLVTrish Juhline       Villanova UniversityKara Lawson     University of TennesseeSonja Mallory       Georgia Tech UniversityAshley McElhiney    Vanderbilt UniversityLoree Payne     University of WashingtonJocelyn Penn        University of South CarolinaAlicia Ratay        University of Notre DameAyisha Smith        Louisiana State UniversityKate Smith          University of Nevada-RenoBrianne Stepherson  Boston CollegeLaToya Thomas   Mississippi State UniversityErin Thorn          Brigham Young UniversityShaquala Williams   University of OregonLindsey Wilson  Iowa State UniversityKatie Wolfe     Oakland University

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