DePaul University Athletics
Aneesah Morrow Selected to Wooden Award Top 25 Watch List
1/5/2022 5:39:00 PM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Blue Demon only freshman among women's basketball midseason candidates
LOS ANGELES – Aneesah Morrow leading the nation in rebounds and running second in the country in double-doubles has attracted attention from the selection committee for one of college basketball's most coveted awards.
The Los Angeles Athletic Club announced Wednesday night on ESPNU the John R. Wooden Award® presented by Wendy's® Midseason Top 25 Watch List, and the irrepressible Blue Demon forward was the only women's basketball freshman honored.
Chosen by a poll of national college basketball experts based on players' performances during the 2021-22 season thus far, the list comprises 25 student-athletes who are front-runners for the sport's most prestigious honor.
Morrow is one of four players making their debut on the Wooden Watch along with Mackenzie Holmes (Indiana), Angel Reese (Maryland) and Jenna Staiti (Georgia). Three schools have multiple players on the list led by South Carolina (Aliyah Boston, Zia Cooke and Destanni Henderson) followed by Stanford (Cameron Brink and Haley Jones), and Maryland (Ashley Owusu and Reese).
The SEC leads all conferences with seven selections, followed by the Big Ten with five, the ACC with four, the Big 12 and Pac-12 with three each, the BIG EAST with two and the ASUN with one. The other BIG EAST selection is 2021 Wooden Award Player of the Year Paige Bueckers of Connecticut.
The Wooden Player of the Year has a long and illustrious history. Some of the previous winners include Larry Bird (1979), Michael Jordan ('84), Tim Duncan ('97), Kevin Durant (2007), Candace Parker ('07 and '08), Maya Moore ('09 and '11), Chiney Ogwumike ('14), Breanna Stewart ('15 and '16) and last year's recipients Bueckers and Luka Garza of Iowa.
Morrow has been a revelation right from the start when she scored 31 points in her NCAA debut---becoming the first freshman to accomplish that feat in coach Doug Bruno's illustrious 36-year career.
If putting up big numbers against Texas Southern wasn't enough to convince the skeptics, how about 24 points, 16 rebounds and five steals against No. 4/5 Arizona followed 24 hours later with 28 points, 15 boards and five steals against Vanderbilt?
Still too small of a sample size? The 6-foot, 1-inch former Simeon All-Stater finished with 18 points and 17 rebounds against a Kentucky power that was ranked No. 14 in both national polls before the Dec. 9 tipoff at Rupp Arena.
She put up 19 points and 10 rebounds versus No. 20/19 Notre Dame, 15 points and 17 rebounds against NCAA tournament team Northwestern, 29 points and 14 boards vs. St. John's and 24 points and 19 rebounds against Xavier.
Morrow became just the fifth player in BIG EAST history to sweep both Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week awards, joining such luminaries as Connecticut legend Maya Moore, Allazia Blockton of Marquette and two current players---UConn's Bueckers and Maddy Siegrist of Villanova.
Averaging 18.7 points and 12 rebounds for DePaul (11-3, 3-0 BIG EAST), Morrow is second in the country in offensive rebounds per game, fourth in field goals, seventh in steals, No. 12 in total points and No. 14 in blocked shots.
The current Wooden Watch players are considered strong candidates for the 2022 John R. Wooden Women's Player of the Year Award presented by Wendy's. Players not chosen to the preseason or midseason list are still eligible for the Wooden Award™ National Ballot.
The National Ballot consists of 15 top players who have proven to their universities that they meet or exceed the qualifications of the Wooden Award. Voters will rank in order 10 of those 15 players when voting opens prior to the NCAA Tournament and will allow voters to take into consideration performance during early-round games.
The Wooden Award All American Team™ will be announced the week of the NCAA Elite Eight. The winner of the 2022 John R. Wooden Award will be presented by Wendy's following the NCAA Tournament in April.
Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award Program hosts the most prestigious honors in college basketball recognizing the Wooden Award Most Outstanding Player for men and women, the Wooden Award All-American Teams for men and women and the annual selection of the Wooden Award Legends of Coaching recipient.
Honorees have proven to their university that they meet or exceed 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.
Since its inception, the Wooden Award has contributed nearly one million dollars to the universities' general scholarship fund in the names of the Wooden Award Al- American recipients and has sent more than 1,000 underprivileged children to week-long college basketball camps.
Additionally, the 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.
Midseason Wooden Watch
Shakira Austin, Mississippi
Kierstan Bell, Florida Gulf Coast
Aliyah Boston, South Carolina
Cameron Brink, Stanford
Paige Bueckers, Connecticut
Caitlin Clark, Iowa
Zia Cooke, South Carolina
Lorela Cubaj, Georgia Tech
Elissa Cunane, North Carolina State
Destanni Henderson, South Carolina
Naz Hillmon, Michigan
Mackenzie Holmes, Indiana
Rhyne Howard, Kentucky
Rickea Jackson, Mississippi State
Ashley Joens, Iowa State
Haley Jones, Stanford
Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech
Ayoka Lee, Kansas State
Aneesah Morrow, DePaul
Charisma Osborne, UCLA
Ashley Owusu, Maryland
Angel Reese, Maryland
NaLyssa Smith, Baylor
Jenna Strait, Georgia
Maddy Westbeld, Notre Dame
The Los Angeles Athletic Club announced Wednesday night on ESPNU the John R. Wooden Award® presented by Wendy's® Midseason Top 25 Watch List, and the irrepressible Blue Demon forward was the only women's basketball freshman honored.
Chosen by a poll of national college basketball experts based on players' performances during the 2021-22 season thus far, the list comprises 25 student-athletes who are front-runners for the sport's most prestigious honor.
Morrow is one of four players making their debut on the Wooden Watch along with Mackenzie Holmes (Indiana), Angel Reese (Maryland) and Jenna Staiti (Georgia). Three schools have multiple players on the list led by South Carolina (Aliyah Boston, Zia Cooke and Destanni Henderson) followed by Stanford (Cameron Brink and Haley Jones), and Maryland (Ashley Owusu and Reese).
The SEC leads all conferences with seven selections, followed by the Big Ten with five, the ACC with four, the Big 12 and Pac-12 with three each, the BIG EAST with two and the ASUN with one. The other BIG EAST selection is 2021 Wooden Award Player of the Year Paige Bueckers of Connecticut.
The Wooden Player of the Year has a long and illustrious history. Some of the previous winners include Larry Bird (1979), Michael Jordan ('84), Tim Duncan ('97), Kevin Durant (2007), Candace Parker ('07 and '08), Maya Moore ('09 and '11), Chiney Ogwumike ('14), Breanna Stewart ('15 and '16) and last year's recipients Bueckers and Luka Garza of Iowa.
Morrow has been a revelation right from the start when she scored 31 points in her NCAA debut---becoming the first freshman to accomplish that feat in coach Doug Bruno's illustrious 36-year career.
If putting up big numbers against Texas Southern wasn't enough to convince the skeptics, how about 24 points, 16 rebounds and five steals against No. 4/5 Arizona followed 24 hours later with 28 points, 15 boards and five steals against Vanderbilt?
Still too small of a sample size? The 6-foot, 1-inch former Simeon All-Stater finished with 18 points and 17 rebounds against a Kentucky power that was ranked No. 14 in both national polls before the Dec. 9 tipoff at Rupp Arena.
She put up 19 points and 10 rebounds versus No. 20/19 Notre Dame, 15 points and 17 rebounds against NCAA tournament team Northwestern, 29 points and 14 boards vs. St. John's and 24 points and 19 rebounds against Xavier.
Morrow became just the fifth player in BIG EAST history to sweep both Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week awards, joining such luminaries as Connecticut legend Maya Moore, Allazia Blockton of Marquette and two current players---UConn's Bueckers and Maddy Siegrist of Villanova.
Averaging 18.7 points and 12 rebounds for DePaul (11-3, 3-0 BIG EAST), Morrow is second in the country in offensive rebounds per game, fourth in field goals, seventh in steals, No. 12 in total points and No. 14 in blocked shots.
The current Wooden Watch players are considered strong candidates for the 2022 John R. Wooden Women's Player of the Year Award presented by Wendy's. Players not chosen to the preseason or midseason list are still eligible for the Wooden Award™ National Ballot.
The National Ballot consists of 15 top players who have proven to their universities that they meet or exceed the qualifications of the Wooden Award. Voters will rank in order 10 of those 15 players when voting opens prior to the NCAA Tournament and will allow voters to take into consideration performance during early-round games.
The Wooden Award All American Team™ will be announced the week of the NCAA Elite Eight. The winner of the 2022 John R. Wooden Award will be presented by Wendy's following the NCAA Tournament in April.
Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award Program hosts the most prestigious honors in college basketball recognizing the Wooden Award Most Outstanding Player for men and women, the Wooden Award All-American Teams for men and women and the annual selection of the Wooden Award Legends of Coaching recipient.
Honorees have proven to their university that they meet or exceed 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.
Since its inception, the Wooden Award has contributed nearly one million dollars to the universities' general scholarship fund in the names of the Wooden Award Al- American recipients and has sent more than 1,000 underprivileged children to week-long college basketball camps.
Additionally, the 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.
Midseason Wooden Watch
Shakira Austin, Mississippi
Kierstan Bell, Florida Gulf Coast
Aliyah Boston, South Carolina
Cameron Brink, Stanford
Paige Bueckers, Connecticut
Caitlin Clark, Iowa
Zia Cooke, South Carolina
Lorela Cubaj, Georgia Tech
Elissa Cunane, North Carolina State
Destanni Henderson, South Carolina
Naz Hillmon, Michigan
Mackenzie Holmes, Indiana
Rhyne Howard, Kentucky
Rickea Jackson, Mississippi State
Ashley Joens, Iowa State
Haley Jones, Stanford
Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech
Ayoka Lee, Kansas State
Aneesah Morrow, DePaul
Charisma Osborne, UCLA
Ashley Owusu, Maryland
Angel Reese, Maryland
NaLyssa Smith, Baylor
Jenna Strait, Georgia
Maddy Westbeld, Notre Dame
Players Mentioned
F
/ WOMEN'S BASKETBALLDePaul Women's Basketball vs. Providence Game Highlights - 3.6.26
Friday, March 06
DePaul Women's Basketball at Georgetown Game Highlights - 3.1.26
Monday, March 02
DePaul Women’s Basketball vs. Butler Postgame Press Conference.
Thursday, February 26
DePaul Women’s Basketball Game Highlights vs. Butler - 02.25.26
Thursday, February 26