Photo by: Taris Smith | Louisville Athletics
Van Lith Named to Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 Watch List
January 04, 2023 | Women's Basketball
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — University of Louisville guard Hailey Van Lith was named to the Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 Watch List, the Los Angeles Athletic Club announced on Wednesday night. Chosen by a poll of national college basketball experts based on their performances during the 2022-23 season thus far, the list is comprised of 25 student-athletes who are front-runners for the sport's most prestigious honor.
Van Lith has had a strong start to her junior season as she leads the Cardinals with 20.3 points per game, leads the team with 3.3 assists per game and is second on the team in rebounds with 5.5 per game. Her 20.3 points per game ranks second in the ACC and is 18th nationally while her 304 points scored is ninth nationally and also second in the league. She also ranks in the top 20 nationally in field goals (110, 11th) and minutes per game (36.3, 19th).
She has been an even more efficient scorer in league play this season as she is averaging 22.3 points in the three ACC games. She has scored 20 points or more in each game and she is the first Louisville player to score 20 or more points in each of the first three conference games since Angel McCoughtry in the 2008-09 season when the Cards were in the BIG EAST.
On the year, Van Lith has scored 20 or more points nine times and has hit the mark in her last two-consecutive games. She has shot 50 percent or better from the field six times and has also reached that mark in her last two games. She has led the Cardinals in assists in seven games this season and has tied a career high with six assists in two separate games. In the win over Syracuse on Dec. 29, Van Lith scored 24 points with six assists and five rebounds. It was just the second time in her career she has scored 20 or more points and had at least five rebounds and five assists in the same game.
Wooden Award 2022-23 Midseason Top 25
Aliyah Boston, South Carolina
Cameron Brink, Stanford
Caitlin Clark, Iowa
Zia Cooke, South Carolina
Monika Czinano, Iowa
Aaliyah Edwards, UConn
Azzi Fudd, UConn
Mackenzie Holmes, Indiana
Jordan Horston, Tennessee
Ashley Jones, Iowa State
Haley Jones, Stanford
Deja Kelly, North Carolina
Emily Kiser, Michigan
Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech
Ta'Niya Latson, Florida State
Taylor Mikesell, Ohio State
Olivia Miles, Notre Dame
Diamond Miller, Maryland
Aneesah Morrow, DePaul
Charisma Osborn, UCLA
Alissa Pili, Utah
Angele Reese, LSU
Maddy Siegrist, Villanoa
Hailey Van Lith, Louisville
Madi Williams, Oklahoma
The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2023 John R. Wooden Award Women's Player of the Year presented by Wendy's. Players not chosen to the preseason or midseason list are still eligible for the Wooden Award National Ballot. The National Ballot consists of 15 top players who have proven to their universities that they meet or exceed the qualifications of the Wooden Award. Voters will rank in order 10 of those 15 players when voting opens prior to the NCAA Tournament and will allow voters to take into consideration performance during early round games. The Wooden Award All American Team will be announced the week of the "Elite Eight" round of the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the 2023 John R. Wooden Award will be presented by Wendy's following the NCAA Tournament in April.
About the John R. Wooden Award
Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award Program hosts the most prestigious honors in college basketball recognizing The Wooden Award Most Outstanding Player for men and women, The Wooden Award All America Teams for men and women and the annual selection of the Wooden Award Legend of Coaching recipient. Honorees have proven to their university that they meet or exceed the qualifications of the John R. Wooden Award as set forth by Coach Wooden and the Wooden Award Steering Committee, including making progress towards graduation and maintaining at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA. Previous winners include Larry Bird ('79), Michael Jordan ('84), Tim Duncan ('97), Kevin Durant ('07), Candace Parker ('07; '08), Maya Moore ('09; '11), Chiney Ogwumike ('14), and last year's recipients, Aliyah Boston of South Carolina and Oscar Tshiebwe of Kentucky.
Since its inception, the John R. Wooden Award has contributed nearly one million dollars to the universities' general scholarship fund in the names of the Wooden Award All American recipients and has sent more than 1,000 underprivileged children to week-long college basketball camps. Additionally, the John R. Wooden Award partners with the Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC) each year to host the Wooden Award Special Olympics Southern California Basketball Tournament. The day-long tournament brings together Special Olympics athletes and Wooden Award All Americans and coaches in attendance. It is hosted at the Los Angeles Athletic Club during the John R. Wooden Award Weekend.
Van Lith has had a strong start to her junior season as she leads the Cardinals with 20.3 points per game, leads the team with 3.3 assists per game and is second on the team in rebounds with 5.5 per game. Her 20.3 points per game ranks second in the ACC and is 18th nationally while her 304 points scored is ninth nationally and also second in the league. She also ranks in the top 20 nationally in field goals (110, 11th) and minutes per game (36.3, 19th).
She has been an even more efficient scorer in league play this season as she is averaging 22.3 points in the three ACC games. She has scored 20 points or more in each game and she is the first Louisville player to score 20 or more points in each of the first three conference games since Angel McCoughtry in the 2008-09 season when the Cards were in the BIG EAST.
On the year, Van Lith has scored 20 or more points nine times and has hit the mark in her last two-consecutive games. She has shot 50 percent or better from the field six times and has also reached that mark in her last two games. She has led the Cardinals in assists in seven games this season and has tied a career high with six assists in two separate games. In the win over Syracuse on Dec. 29, Van Lith scored 24 points with six assists and five rebounds. It was just the second time in her career she has scored 20 or more points and had at least five rebounds and five assists in the same game.
Wooden Award 2022-23 Midseason Top 25
Aliyah Boston, South Carolina
Cameron Brink, Stanford
Caitlin Clark, Iowa
Zia Cooke, South Carolina
Monika Czinano, Iowa
Aaliyah Edwards, UConn
Azzi Fudd, UConn
Mackenzie Holmes, Indiana
Jordan Horston, Tennessee
Ashley Jones, Iowa State
Haley Jones, Stanford
Deja Kelly, North Carolina
Emily Kiser, Michigan
Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech
Ta'Niya Latson, Florida State
Taylor Mikesell, Ohio State
Olivia Miles, Notre Dame
Diamond Miller, Maryland
Aneesah Morrow, DePaul
Charisma Osborn, UCLA
Alissa Pili, Utah
Angele Reese, LSU
Maddy Siegrist, Villanoa
Hailey Van Lith, Louisville
Madi Williams, Oklahoma
The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2023 John R. Wooden Award Women's Player of the Year presented by Wendy's. Players not chosen to the preseason or midseason list are still eligible for the Wooden Award National Ballot. The National Ballot consists of 15 top players who have proven to their universities that they meet or exceed the qualifications of the Wooden Award. Voters will rank in order 10 of those 15 players when voting opens prior to the NCAA Tournament and will allow voters to take into consideration performance during early round games. The Wooden Award All American Team will be announced the week of the "Elite Eight" round of the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the 2023 John R. Wooden Award will be presented by Wendy's following the NCAA Tournament in April.
About the John R. Wooden Award
Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award Program hosts the most prestigious honors in college basketball recognizing The Wooden Award Most Outstanding Player for men and women, The Wooden Award All America Teams for men and women and the annual selection of the Wooden Award Legend of Coaching recipient. Honorees have proven to their university that they meet or exceed the qualifications of the John R. Wooden Award as set forth by Coach Wooden and the Wooden Award Steering Committee, including making progress towards graduation and maintaining at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA. Previous winners include Larry Bird ('79), Michael Jordan ('84), Tim Duncan ('97), Kevin Durant ('07), Candace Parker ('07; '08), Maya Moore ('09; '11), Chiney Ogwumike ('14), and last year's recipients, Aliyah Boston of South Carolina and Oscar Tshiebwe of Kentucky.
Since its inception, the John R. Wooden Award has contributed nearly one million dollars to the universities' general scholarship fund in the names of the Wooden Award All American recipients and has sent more than 1,000 underprivileged children to week-long college basketball camps. Additionally, the John R. Wooden Award partners with the Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC) each year to host the Wooden Award Special Olympics Southern California Basketball Tournament. The day-long tournament brings together Special Olympics athletes and Wooden Award All Americans and coaches in attendance. It is hosted at the Los Angeles Athletic Club during the John R. Wooden Award Weekend.
Players Mentioned
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