Marquette University Athletics
Travis Diener Among Wooden Award Top 50 Preseason Candidates
8/6/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Aug. 6, 2003
MILWAUKEE -- Marquette University junior Travis Diener has been selected as one of 50 preseason candidates for the 2003-04 John R. Wooden Award. The announcement was made today by the Wooden Award National Preseason Selection Committee. The 50 players were selected based on last year's individual performance and team records -- transfers and freshmen are not eligible, though they are evaluated and considered for the midseason top 30.
Diener, 6-1, earned Conference USA Second-Team honors in 2002-03 after starting all Marquette 33 games last year and pacing the club and ranking third among league performers in assists (5.50 apg). Diener led the squad in three-point field goals with 69, tying him for the third-highest total by a MU sophomore, and played a team-high 34.7 minutes per contest. He scored in double figures in 21 contests and produced three outings of 20 or more points including a career-high of 29 against Holy Cross in the team's opening NCAA Tournament game. Diener's play helped the Golden Eagles post a 27-6 overall record and advance to the NCAA Final Four.
The 50 members on the preseason list, along with other players who excel throughout the year, will be eligible for the Midseason Top 30 List that will be announced in mid January. On March 30, 2004, the ten-player Wooden Award All-America Team will be announced. The award ceremony, which will include the presentation of the Wooden Award All-America Team and the presentation of the Legends of Coaching Award, will be held at The Los Angeles Athletic Club on Saturday, April 10, 2004.
Last year, former MU All-American Dwyane Wade was one of the five finalists for the Wooden Award.
2003-04 WOODEN AWARD PRESEASON CANDIDATES
Name Pos. Yr. School Andre Barrett G Sr. Seton Hall Kevin Bookout F So. Oklahoma Dee Brown G So. Illinois Josh Childress F Jr. Stanford Paul Davis C So. Michigan State Travis Diener G Jr. Marquette Ike Diogu F So. Arizona State Chris Duhon G Sr. Duke Andre Emmett F Sr. Texas Tech Raymond Felton G So. Georgia Tech Gerald Fitch G Sr. Kentucky Luis Flores G Sr. Manhattan Torin Francis F/C So. Notre Dame Matt Freije F Sr. Vanderbilt Channing Frye F Jr. Arizona Francisco Garcia F Jr. Louisville Ryan Gomes F Jr. Providence Ben Gordon G Jr. Connecticut David Harrison C Jr. Colorado Chris Hill G Jr. Michigan State Julius Hodge G Jr. North Carolina State Daniel Horton G So. Michigan Luke Jackson F Sr. Oregon Arthur Johnson C Sr. Missouri Keith Langford F Jr. Kansas David Lee F Jr. Florida Jason Maxiell F Sr. Cincinnati Rashad McCants F So. North Carolina Gerry McNamara G So. Syracuse Marcus Moore G Sr. Washington State Brandon Mouton G Sr. Texas Jameer Nelson G Sr. St. Joseph's Emeka Okafor F/C Jr. Connecticut Julius Page G Sr. Pittsburgh Rickey Paulding G Sr. Missouri J.J. Redick G So. Duke Darius Rice F Sr. Miami Lawrence Roberts F Jr. Baylor Romain Sato G Sr. Xavier Wayne Simien F Jr. Kansas Craig Smith F So. Boston College Blake Stepp G Sr. Gonzaga Salim Stoudamire G Jr. Arizona Amit Tamir F/C Jr. California Chris Thomas G Jr. Notre Dame James Thomas C Sr. Texas Cory Violette F/C Sr. Gonzaga Matt Walsh F So. Florida Hakim Warrick F Jr. Syracuse Bracey Wright G So. Indiana
