Oct. 10, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - Penn State Lady Lion junior point guard Alex Bentley (Indianapolis, Ind.) is among the 30 players named to the John R. Wooden Women's Preseason Top 30 list for the 2012 Wooden Award for the nation's top women's collegiate basketball player, the Los Angeles Athletic Club announced today. Bentley is one of three Big Ten players (Ohio State's Samantha Prahalis and Iowa's Jamie Printy) on the Wooden preseason chart.
Bentley, who is also on the Wade Watch list for the WBCA's Player of the Year award, was instrumental in helping the Lady Lions return NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005 with a 25-10 record. She became the 11th different Lady Lion to garner All-Big Ten first team honors last season after finishing in the Top 15 in the Big Ten in scoring (12th/14.4), assists (2nd/5.0), field goal percentage (14th/.446), free throw percentage (11th/.798) and assist-to-turnover ratio (4th/1.7). Bentley was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament team after averaging 15.3 points, 3.3 assists and 3.0 steals in three tourney contests. Additionally, the Indianapolis native registered seven 20-point games, including a pair of 20-point performances in the NCAA Tournament.
Bentley, who participated in USA Basketball World University Games trials in Colorado this summer, is 14th in school history with 299 career assists. Her 174 helpers last year are 17th on Penn State's single-season charts. She was a third team All-Big Ten selection and Big Ten All-Freshman team choice as a rookie in 2009-10. Bentley's 125 helpers her freshman year rank fifth on Penn State's freshman season chart.
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 minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA. Previous winners include such notables as Larry Bird ('79), Michael Jordan ('84), Tim Duncan ('97), Candace Parker ('07 and '08) and Maya Moore of Connecticut ('09 and `11). UConn's Maya Moore ('11) won the women's Award in 2011.
Since its inception, the John R. Wooden Award has contributed close to a million dollars to universities' general scholarship fund in the names of the All American recipients. The Award has also sent more than 1,000 underprivileged children to week-long college basketball camps in the Award's name. Additionally, the John R. Wooden Award partners with Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC) each year to host the Wooden Award Special Olympics Southern California Basketball Tournament. The day-long tournament, which brings together Special Olympic athletes and the All Americans, takes place at The Los Angeles Athletic Club the weekend of the John R. Wooden Award Ceremony.
Follow the candidates and get the latest news throughout the season by logging on to www.WoodenAward.com. For more information on the John R. Wooden Award, please contact the Wooden Award staff at 213-630-5206 or email at woodenaward@laac.net.
The 2012 WBCA Pink Zone at Penn State will take place on Sunday, Feb. 26 as the Lady Lions take on Minnesota in the Bryce Jordan Center. Last year, the Lady Lions donated nearly $200,000 for breast cancer causes. This year's fundraising efforts will benefit the Mount Nittany Medical Center, Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute, Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition, the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital and Lewistown Hospital. For more information on the Pink Zone at Penn State, visit the official Pink Zone website at www.gopsusports.com/pinkzone. The WBCA Pink Zone at Penn State is also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pinkzoneatpennstate.
The Lady Lions are on Twitter. Follow sports information contact Kris Petersen (@ladylionsid) and the Lady Lions and coaches (@pennstatewbb) to get the inside scoop. The Lady Lions are also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pennstateladylions.
Here is the complete list of preseason candidates for the 2012 John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 30 list in alphabetical order:
LaSondra Barrett, LSU
Alex Bentley, Penn State
Cierra Bravard, Florida State
Carolyn Davis, Kansas
Elena Delle Donne, Delaware
Skylar Diggins, Notre Dame
Stefanie Dolson, Connecticut
Chelsea Gray, Duke
Brittney Griner, Baylor
Keisha Hampton, DePaul
Bria Hartley, Connecticut
Tiffany Hayes, Connecticut
Courtney Hurt, VCU
Glory Johnson, Tennessee
Shenise Johnson, Miami
Lynetta Kizer, Maryland
Natalie Novosel, Notre Dame
Nnemkadi Ogwumike, Stanford
Chiney Ogwuumike, Stanford
Devereaux Peters, Notre Dame
Samantha Prahalis, Ohio State
Jaime Printy, Iowa
Justine Raterman, Dayton
Sugar Rodgers, Georgetown
Shoni Schimmel, Louisville
Odyssey Sims, Baylor
Shekinna Stricklin, Tennessee
Alyssa Thomas, Maryland
Riquna Williams, Miami
Award winner honored April 6, 2012 at The Los Angeles Athletic Club.