MAYNOR NAMED TO WOODEN PRESEASON TOP 50
RICHMOND, Va. – For the second consecutive year, Virginia Commonwealth University senior Eric Maynor (Raeford, N.C.) has been named one of the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 Candidates.
Maynor, a 6-3 point guard, is the reigning Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year and was named a Bob Cousy Award finalist in 2007-08.
As a junior, Maynor averaged 17.9 points and a CAA-leading 5.5 assists per game. The league's leading returning scorer, the 6-3 guard was selected CAA Preseason Player of the Year last month.
Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina, last year's Wooden Award winner, returns to Chapel Hill for his final collegiate season and has a chance to become only the second repeat men's Wooden Award winner. Ralph Sampson of Virginia won the Award twice, in 1982 and 1983. Other returning Wooden All-Americans include Notre Dame forward Luke Harangody and Davidson guard Stephen Curry.
About the John R. Wooden Award
Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball.  It is bestowed upon the nation's best player at an institution of higher education who has proven to his or her university that he or she is making progress toward graduation and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA.  Previous winners include such notables as Larry Bird ('79), Michael Jordan ('84), Tim Duncan ('97), and 2007 recipient Kevin Durant of Texas. Candace Parker of Tennessee won the Women's Wooden Award in 2007 and 2008.
RICHMOND, Va. – For the second consecutive year, Virginia Commonwealth University senior Eric Maynor (Raeford, N.C.) has been named one of the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 Candidates.
Maynor, a 6-3 point guard, is the reigning Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year and was named a Bob Cousy Award finalist in 2007-08.
As a junior, Maynor averaged 17.9 points and a CAA-leading 5.5 assists per game. The league's leading returning scorer, the 6-3 guard was selected CAA Preseason Player of the Year last month.
Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina, last year's Wooden Award winner, returns to Chapel Hill for his final collegiate season and has a chance to become only the second repeat men's Wooden Award winner. Ralph Sampson of Virginia won the Award twice, in 1982 and 1983. Other returning Wooden All-Americans include Notre Dame forward Luke Harangody and Davidson guard Stephen Curry.
About the John R. Wooden Award
Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball.  It is bestowed upon the nation's best player at an institution of higher education who has proven to his or her university that he or she is making progress toward graduation and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA.  Previous winners include such notables as Larry Bird ('79), Michael Jordan ('84), Tim Duncan ('97), and 2007 recipient Kevin Durant of Texas. Candace Parker of Tennessee won the Women's Wooden Award in 2007 and 2008.
