Reese named to national ballot for Wooden Award

15 in running for designation as top player in country

Maryland sophomore forward Angel Reese is one of 15 players named to the national ballot for the John R. Wooden Award, given annually to the top women’s college basketball player in the country.

Last week, Reese earned All-Big Ten first team honors and was named to the All-Defensive Team. The Baltimore native and former St. Frances star leads the No. 11 Terps (21-8) with 17.5 points and 10.8 rebounds per game while ranking first in blocks (31) and second in steals (49).

The former No. 2 overall recruit in the country after a dominant career for the Panthers, Reese also leads the Big Ten in total rebounds (313) and double-doubles (17) and is second in the country in offensive rebounds (5.5).

In Friday’s 62-51 Big Ten quarterfinal loss to No. 5 seed Indiana, Reese amassed 14 points, 13 rebounds, four steals and three assists for the No. 4 seed Terps, who suffered their earliest exit from the Big Ten tournament after winning five of the past seven titles.

Maryland must now wait until March 13 to learn its seeding in the NCAA tournament. The Terps were a projected No. 3 seed before the conference tournament.

Reese is one of three players from the Big Ten on the list, joining Iowa sophomore guard and Big Ten Player of the Year Caitlin Clark and Michigan senior forward Naz Hillmon. South Carolina junior forward Aliyah Boston, who is averaging 16.8 points and 12.0 rebounds per game for the top-ranked Gamecocks, is considered the favorite.

Shakira Austin, who transferred to Ole Miss after earning All-Big Ten second-team honors as a sophomore with the Terps, was also named to the list. She is averaging 15.4 points and 9.0 rebounds to help the Rebels earn their best finish in SEC play (fourth) in more than 20 seasons.

A 10-player Wooden All-America team will be announced after the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament, while the top vote-getters will be invited to the Wooden Award presentation in Los Angeles in April. Voting will take place March 15-22.