Garcia Honored on Preseason Wooden All-America team
August 07, 2004 | Men's Basketball
Aug. 7, 2004
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - University of Louisville sophomore forward Francisco Garcia has been named to the 2004-05 Wooden Award Preseason All-American Team. A finalist for national player of the year honors last season, the 6-7 junior scored in double-figures in 22 games and in 42 for his career. Garcia scored over 20 on 10 occasions as a sophomore, including three of the last four. He ranked among the Conference USA leaders in scoring (16.4, 4th in C-USA), assists (4.7, third), steals (1.9, fourth), blocked shots (1.4, 8th), free throw percentage (.797, 9th) and assists-to-turnovers ratio (1.66, 10th). He will open his junior year just 182 points short of becoming the Cardinals' 54th career 1,000-point scorer. Last season, Garcia was on the final ballot of the top 20 candidates for the Wooden Award and All-America team, was among the 20 finalists for the Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year and was among the final 15 candidates for the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Player of the Year Award. He earned all-region honors by the NABC and the USBWA and was a first-team All-Conference USA pick. Garcia has already been noted among the top ten players nationally on Dick Vitale's preseason "All-Rolls Royce" team. Garcia is among 50 players included among the preseason honorees. In mid January, the Wooden Award committee will release the midseason top 30. The ten player Wooden Award All-American Team will be announced on March 29. One member of the Wooden Award All-American Team will be announced on April 9, 2004 as the recipient of the Wooden Award Trophy as the nation's collegiate basketball Player of the Year.
