Texas Tech University Athletics

Culver Selected for John R. Wooden National Ballot
March 09, 2019 | Men's Basketball
Fans may vote through a fan voting site, sponsored by Wendy’s, at www.woodenawardvote.com
LOS ANGELES – Texas Tech sophomore Jarrett Culver has been selected as a candidate for the Wooden Award All American Team® and Wooden Award Trophy as the most outstanding college basketball player in the United States. The Los Angeles Athletic Club announced its 2019 Men's National Ballot for the John R. Wooden Award presented by Wendy's today on ESPN College GameDay which consists of 15 student-athletes.
Culver has scored 951 points in his career coming into today's game at Iowa State and leads the No. 8-ranked Red Raiders with 17.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game this season after going for 16 points, seven rebounds and three assists in the win over Texas. A Lubbock native, he has recorded 20 or more points in eight games this season, has three double-doubles and is positioned to become the first player to reach 1,000 points as a freshman-sophomore in program history. Culver was named the Big 12 Conference Player of the Week for the second time this season last Monday after going for 26 points against Kansas and followed it by recording his third double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Oklahoma State.
Culver is the sixth Red Raider in program history to be named a Wooden Award Candidate following in the tradition set by Keenan Evans (2017-18), Jarrius Jackson (2016-07), Andre Emmett (2003-04), Cory Carr (1997-98) and Jason Sasser (1995-96). The previous five Tech candidates were each selected during their senior seasons. He is joined on this year's ballot by RJ Barrett (Duke), Brandon Clarke (Gonzaga), Mike Daum (South Dakota State), Carsen Edwards (Purdue), Rui Hachimura (Gonzaga), Ethan Happ (Wisconsin), Markus Howard (Marquette), De'Andre Hunter (Virginia), Dedric Lawson (Kansas), Ja Morant (Murray State) and PJ Washington (Kentucky).
All balloted players have been certified by their university to meet or exceed the qualifications for the Wooden Award as set forth by Coach Wooden when the Award was established. The qualifications include: candidates must exhibit strength of character, both on and off the court; candidates must be full-time students in an accredited NCAA college or university; candidates must be making progress toward graduation and have a cumulative 2.00 grade point average since enrolling in their school; candidates must contribute to team effort; candidates must excel in both offense and defense; and candidates should be considered on their performance over the course of the entire season.
Voting will take place from March 18th to March 25th, and voters, consisting of nearly 1,000 members of the national college basketball media, take into consideration a player's entire season of play, as well as the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Fans may vote through a fan voting site, sponsored by Wendy's, at www.woodenawardvote.com.
The Wooden Award All American Team, consisting of the nation's top ten players, and the five finalists for the Wooden Award, which is widely considered the most prestigious honor in college basketball, will be announced following the "Elite Eight" round of the NCAA Tournament and will be the focus of a 30-minute show on April 3rd on ESPNU at 6:30pm ET.
The 43rd annual presentation of the John R. Wooden Award to the men's and women's most outstanding college basketball player will be the anchor presentation of the ESPN College Basketball Awards Presented by Wendy's on ESPN2 on Friday, April 12, 2019. The men's and women's John R. Wooden Award All American Team will be honored during the ceremony, and the 2019 Wooden Award Legends of Coaching Trophy will be presented to Lon Kruger, Head Men's Basketball Coach at Oklahoma.
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 basketball player at an NCAA Division I university who has proven to his or her university that he or she meets or exceeds 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, A'ja Wilson of South Carolina and Jalen Brunson of Villanova.
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.
For up-to-date information on the Wooden Award, please go to www.woodenaward.com and follow the Wooden Award on Facebook at www.facebook.com/woodenaward and @WoodenAward on Twitter and Instagram.
Culver has scored 951 points in his career coming into today's game at Iowa State and leads the No. 8-ranked Red Raiders with 17.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game this season after going for 16 points, seven rebounds and three assists in the win over Texas. A Lubbock native, he has recorded 20 or more points in eight games this season, has three double-doubles and is positioned to become the first player to reach 1,000 points as a freshman-sophomore in program history. Culver was named the Big 12 Conference Player of the Week for the second time this season last Monday after going for 26 points against Kansas and followed it by recording his third double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Oklahoma State.
Culver is the sixth Red Raider in program history to be named a Wooden Award Candidate following in the tradition set by Keenan Evans (2017-18), Jarrius Jackson (2016-07), Andre Emmett (2003-04), Cory Carr (1997-98) and Jason Sasser (1995-96). The previous five Tech candidates were each selected during their senior seasons. He is joined on this year's ballot by RJ Barrett (Duke), Brandon Clarke (Gonzaga), Mike Daum (South Dakota State), Carsen Edwards (Purdue), Rui Hachimura (Gonzaga), Ethan Happ (Wisconsin), Markus Howard (Marquette), De'Andre Hunter (Virginia), Dedric Lawson (Kansas), Ja Morant (Murray State) and PJ Washington (Kentucky).
All balloted players have been certified by their university to meet or exceed the qualifications for the Wooden Award as set forth by Coach Wooden when the Award was established. The qualifications include: candidates must exhibit strength of character, both on and off the court; candidates must be full-time students in an accredited NCAA college or university; candidates must be making progress toward graduation and have a cumulative 2.00 grade point average since enrolling in their school; candidates must contribute to team effort; candidates must excel in both offense and defense; and candidates should be considered on their performance over the course of the entire season.
Voting will take place from March 18th to March 25th, and voters, consisting of nearly 1,000 members of the national college basketball media, take into consideration a player's entire season of play, as well as the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Fans may vote through a fan voting site, sponsored by Wendy's, at www.woodenawardvote.com.
The Wooden Award All American Team, consisting of the nation's top ten players, and the five finalists for the Wooden Award, which is widely considered the most prestigious honor in college basketball, will be announced following the "Elite Eight" round of the NCAA Tournament and will be the focus of a 30-minute show on April 3rd on ESPNU at 6:30pm ET.
The 43rd annual presentation of the John R. Wooden Award to the men's and women's most outstanding college basketball player will be the anchor presentation of the ESPN College Basketball Awards Presented by Wendy's on ESPN2 on Friday, April 12, 2019. The men's and women's John R. Wooden Award All American Team will be honored during the ceremony, and the 2019 Wooden Award Legends of Coaching Trophy will be presented to Lon Kruger, Head Men's Basketball Coach at Oklahoma.
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 basketball player at an NCAA Division I university who has proven to his or her university that he or she meets or exceeds 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, A'ja Wilson of South Carolina and Jalen Brunson of Villanova.
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.
For up-to-date information on the Wooden Award, please go to www.woodenaward.com and follow the Wooden Award on Facebook at www.facebook.com/woodenaward and @WoodenAward on Twitter and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
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Saturday, March 21
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A Round One Celebration
Friday, March 20






