Gaines Earns Preseason All-America Recognition

Aug. 6, 2002

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - University of Louisville senior guard Reece Gaines has been named to 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.

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.

The list is composed only of returning players. Transfers and freshmen are not eligible, though they are evaluated and considered for the midseason top 30. Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is bestowed upon the nation's best player at an institution of higher education who has proven to his university that he is making progress toward graduation and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA. Louisville's Darrell Griffith won the award in 1980.

The 2003 Award ceremony, which will include the presentation of the Wooden Award All-American team and the presentation of the Legends of Coaching Award, will be held at the Los Angeles Athletic Club on Sunday, April 13th and will be televised live nationally on Fox Sports Net.

The complete list follows.

Wooden Award Preseason All-America TeamPlayer      Ht. Yr. Pos.    CollegeMario Austin    6-9 Jr. F/C Mississippi StateMarcus Bailey   6-5 Sr. G/F WyomingTroy Bell   6-1 Sr. G   Boston CollegeSteve Blake 6-3 Sr. G   MarylandKeith Bogans    6-5 Sr. G   KentuckyMatt Bonner 6-10    Sr. F   FloridaNick Collison   6-9 Sr. F   KansasBrian Cook  6-10    Sr. F   IllinoisTom Coverdale   6-2 Sr. G   IndianaWillie Deane    6-1 Sr. G   PurdueErwin Dudley    6-8 Sr. F   AlabamaChris Duhon 6-1 Jr. G   DukeCarl English    6-5 Jr. G/F Hawai?iEbi Ere     6-5 Sr. G   OklahomaT.J. Ford   5-10    So. G   TexasReece Gaines  6-6 Sr. G   LouisvilleJason Gardner   5-11    Sr. G   ArizonaMarcus Hatten   6-1 Sr. G   St. John?sJarvis Hayes    6-6 Jr. G/F GeorgiaChris Hill  6-3 So. G   Michigan StateKirk Hinrich    6-3 Sr. G   KansasJosh Howard 6-6 Sr. F   Wake ForestBrandon Hunter  6-7 Sr. F   OhioLuke Jackson    6-7 Jr. G   OregonBritton Johnsen 6-9 Sr. G   UtahDahntay Jones   6-6 Sr. F   DukeJason Kapono    6-7 Sr. F   UCLABrandin Knight  6-0 Sr. G   PittsburghChris Marcus    7-1 Sr. C/F Western KentuckyJason Maxiell   6-7 So. F   CincinnatiBrett Nelson    6-3 Sr. G   FloridaJameer Nelson   6-1 Jr. G   St. JosephEmeka Okafor    6-9 Jr. F/C ConnecticutUgonna Onyekwe  6-8 Sr. F   PennsylvaniaRickey Paulding 6-5 Jr. G   MissouriKirk Penney 6-5 Jr. G   WisconsinHollis Price    6-1 Sr. G   OklahomaJustin Reed 6-8 Jr. F   MississippiDarius Rice 6-10    Jr. F   MiamiLuke Ridnour    6-2 Jr. G   OregonRomain Sato 6-5 Jr. G/F XavierTheron Smith    6-8 Sr. F   Ball State

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