Allison a finalist for the John Wooden Award
LOS ANGELES -- The John R. Wooden Award Committee announced the student-athletes named to the official 2010 John R. Wooden Award National Ballot on Tuesday, and LSU's Allison Hightower is one of 22 players who have earned a spot on the list.The ballot decides the Women's 2010 Wooden Award All-American Team and Player of the Year, presented annually to the nation's top collegiate female basketball player.Hightower is one of only two Southeastern Conference players to make the final ballot, joining Tennessee's Shekinna Stricklen. LSU has produced two Wooden Award winners in its history as Seimone Augustus claimed the prestigious honor in 2005 and 2006.Hightower has been the Lady Tigers most valuable player the past two seasons. She leads the team in points (18.5), 3-point field goal percentage (39.6), steals (2.1) and minutes played (32.3). The Arlington, Texas, native ranks second in the SEC in overall scoring and second in conference only scoring (19.6).Hightower is the only player in the SEC to rank in the top six in scoring (second), 3-point field goal percentage (third) and steals (sixth). She owns 11 20-plus point games this season and was LSU's leading scorer in 11 of its 16 conference games. Hightower is the 14th all-time leading scorer in LSU history with 1,479 points heading into the 2010 NCAA Tournament.A distinguished panel of voters, comprised of sports media members and college basketball experts from around the nation, have until 3 p.m. EST on Monday, March 30 to cast their votes, a long voting period that allows voters to evaluate players up through games of the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. All players on the ballots have proven to their universities that they are making progress toward graduation and are maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA.The 34th annual Wooden Award ceremony, which will include the announcement of the Men's and Women's Wooden Award winner, will take place on April 9, 2010.
Read the entire release along with the other finalists: http://bit.ly/dkdmlp