Dean A Preseason Candidate for Wooden All-America

Aug. 9, 2005

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - University of Louisville senior guard Taquan Dean has been named as one of the top 50 preseason candidates for the John R. Wooden Award All-America team. Dean is one of nine BIG EAST Conference players cited on the list, more than any other league.

The candidates are comprised of returning players, although transfers, freshmen and other players who excel throughout the season will be evaluated and considered for both the Midseason top 30 list and the National Ballot. In mid-January, the Wooden Award committee will release the midseason top 30 on CBS Sports, and on Tuesday, March 28, the 10-player Wooden Award All-America Team will be announced. The 2006 Award ceremony, which will include the presentation of the Men's and Women's Wooden Award, the Wooden Award All-America Teams and the Legends of Coaching Award, will be held at The Los Angeles Athletic Club on April 8, 2006, and will be broadcast live on a national CBS telecast.

U of L's Francisco Garcia, a first round pick of the Sacramento Kings in the 2005 NBA Draft, was honored on the Wooden Award All-America team last season.

An NABC All-District 7 and All-Conference USA selection last season, the 6-3 senior guard averaged 14.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists last year despite playing about two months of the season with mononucleosis. His 122 three-point goals set a new Louisville single season record while shooting 44.7 percent from three-point range (122-of-273), ninth best in the nation.

"Taquan is as good of a shooter and player as there is in college basketball," said Pitino. "He's been a big part of our success for the last three years and is certainly worthy of being a preseason college All-American based on what he's accomplished."

Usually at his best in big games, Dean was the Most Valuable Player of the 2005 Conference USA Tournament and Billy Minardi Classic and was honored on the all-tournament teams of the NCAA Albuquerque Region and the EA Sports Maui Invitational. The three-time captain will open his senior year with 1,118 career points, within reach of the Cardinals' all-time scoring top ten.

The preseason candidates for the Wooden Award All-America team, listed in alphabetical order, are as follows:

2005-06 Wooden Award PreseasonAll-American Team - Top 50 Candidates(Based on a preseason poll. Players listed alphabetically.)Player Height Class Position SchoolHassan Adams 6'4" Sr. Guard ArizonaMaurice Ager 6'5" Sr. Guard Michigan StateJosh Boone 6'10" Jr. Forward ConnecticutBrandon Bowman 6'8" Sr. Forward GeorgetownRonnie Brewer 6'7" Jr. Guard ArkansasAaron Brooks 6'0" Jr. Guard OregonDee Brown 5'11" Sr. Guard IllinoisNick Caner-Medley 6'8" Sr. Forward MarylandRodney Carney 6'7" Sr. Forward MemphisMardy Collins 6'6" Sr. Guard TempleJamesOn Curry 6'3" So. Guard Oklahoma StateChuck Davis 6'7" Sr. Forward AlabamaGlen Davis 6'9" So. Forward LSUPaul Davis 6'11" Sr. Center Michigan StateTaquan Dean 6'3" Sr. Guard LouisvilleGuillermo Diaz 6'2" Jr. Guard MiamiJared Dudley 6'7" Jr. Forward Boston CollegeJordan Farmar 6'2" So. Guard UCLANick Fazekas 6'11" Jr. Forward NevadaDaniel Gibson 6'2" So. Guard TexasRudy Gay 6'9" So. Forward ConnecticutJustin Gray 6'2" Sr. Guard Wake ForestTaj Gray 6'9" Sr. Forward OklahomaVincent Grier 6'5" Jr. Guard MinnesotaDan Grunfeld 6'6" Sr. Guard StanfordChris Hernandez 6'2" Sr. Guard StanfordJeff Horner 6'3" Sr. Guard IowaJarrius Jackson 6'1" Jr. Guard Texas TechBen Jacobson 6'3" Sr. Guard Northern IowaCarl Krauser 6'2" Jr. Guard PittsburghNana (Pops) Mensah-Bonsu 6'9" Sr. Forward George WashingtonPaul Millsap 6'8" Jr. Forward Louisiana TechGerry McNamara 6'2" Sr. Guard SyracuseAdam Morrison 6'8" Jr. Forward GonzagaSteve Novak 6'10" Sr. Forward MarquetteKevin Pittsnogle 6'11" Sr. Center West VirginiaLeon Powe 6'8" Jr. Forward CaliforniaJ.J. Redick 6'4" Sr. Guard DukeRajon Rondo 6'1" So. Guard KentuckyBrandon Roy 6'6" Sr. Guard WashingtonCraig Smith 6'7" Sr. Forward Boston CollegeSteven Smith 6'7" Sr. Forward LaSalleCurtis Stinson 6'3" Jr. Guard Iowa StateCurtis Sumpter 6'7" Sr. Forward VillanovaAlando Tucker 6'5" So. Forward WisconsinP.J. Tucker 6'5" Jr. Forward TexasDarius Washington 6'2" So. Guard MemphisEric Williams 6'9" Sr. Center Wake ForestSheldon Williams 6'9" Sr. Forward DukeCurtis Withers 6'8" Sr. Forward Charlotte

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