Naismith Trophy Midseason Candidates Announced
Winner to be Revealed at the Final Four in Indianapolis

ATLANTA (Feb. 24, 2010) – Just three months into the college basketball season, several programs are vying for supremacy as the top team in the nation.  The same can be said for the 30 student-athletes looking to win the Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T after the midseason team was announced today by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.  The Big East conference has seven players on the list, followed by the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) with six. Two schools, Kansas and Kentucky, are represented by two players apiece.

The top 30 midseason men’s list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors, comprised of leading basketball journalists from around the country. The board based its criteria on player performances this season.

The Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T is the most prestigious national basketball award and is given annually to the men’s college basketball player of the year. This year, the award will be presented at the NCAA Men’s Final Four in Indianapolis.

“While several candidates have begin to separate themselves there are a number of whom still can win the esteemed Naismith Trophy,” said Gary Stokan, Atlanta Tipoff Club president.  “The exceptional talent level across the country has greatly elevated college basketball which makes for an outstanding finish to such a tremendous season.”

As a presenting sponsor since 2005, AT&T has set the standard in fan participation in determining this year’s winner. Through the power and ease of text messaging, fan voting will account for an unprecedented 25 percent of the final results — more than any other national college basketball award.  

Beginning March 22, AT&T wireless customers — and sports fans on other wireless networks — will be able to text their votes for the player of their choice.  Fans will be eligible to cast their vote for the winner until 11:59 p.m. EDT on Saturday, April 3, 2010. AT&T is making the voting open to other wireless carriers, allowing even more fans to participate. Other wireless carriers must opt-in for their subscribers to participate. Standard messaging rates apply.

“AT&T is proud to equip these avid college basketball fans with the ability to vote for what’s sure to be one of the most notable recognitions in these student-athletes’ lives,” said Jamie Kerr, senior manager, AT&T National Sponsorships. “We’re looking forward to hearing which deserving player the fans choose to take home this prestigious honor.”

CBS Sports’ “AT&T at the Half” features a weekly Naismith Trophy Watch, highlighting the men’s players in contention for the coveted award who have distinguished themselves throughout the season. On March 21, CBS will announce the four Naismith Trophy finalists during its first-round coverage of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

2010 Naismith Men’s Mid-Season Candidates

Last	First	School	Position	Class
Aldrich	Cole	Kansas	Center	Junior
Aminu	Al-Farouq	Wake Forest	Forward	Sophomore
Anderson	James	Oklahoma State	Guard	Junior
Babbitt	Luke	Nevada	Forward	Sophomore
Booker	Trevor	Clemson	Forward	Senior
Bouldin	Matt	Gonzaga	Guard	Senior
Butler	Da'Sean	West Virginia	Forward	Senior
Collins	Sherron	Kansas	Guard	Senior
Cousins	DeMarcus	Kentucky	Forward	Freshman
Downey	Devan	South Carolina	Guard	Senior
Dyson	Jerome	Connecticut	Guard	Senior
Fredette	Jimmer	BYU	Guard	Junior
Harangody	Luke	Notre Dame	Forward	Senior
Hayward	Gordon	Butler	Guard/Forward	Sophomore
Hummel	Robbie	Purdue	Forward	Junior
James	Damion	Texas	Guard/Forward	Senior
Johnson	Wesley	Syracuse	Forward	Junior
Jones	Dominique	South Florida	Guard	Junior
Landesberg	Sylven	Virginia	Guard	Sophomore
Lawal	Gani	Georgia Tech	Forward	Junior
Lucas	Kalin	Michigan State	Guard	Junior
Monroe	Greg	Georgetown	Center	Sophomore
Pullen	Jacob	Kansas State	Guard	Junior
Reynolds	Scottie	Villanova	Guard	Senior
Samhan	Omar	Saint Mary's	Center	Senior
Scheyer	Jon	Duke	Guard	Senior
Turner	Evan	Ohio State	Guard/Forward	Junior
Varnado	Jarvis	Mississippi State	Forward	Senior
Vasquez	Greivis	Maryland	Guard	Senior
Wall	John	Kentucky	Guard	Freshman

Other notable Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year winners include Bill Walton (UCLA), Larry Bird (Indiana State), Michael Jordan (North Carolina), Patrick Ewing (Georgetown), David Robinson (Navy), Kevin Durant (Texas) and last year’s winner, Blake Griffin of Oklahoma.

For more information, visit www.naismithawards.com.

ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
The Atlanta Tipoff Club, an Atlanta Sports Council property, is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club, founded during the 1956-57 season, has presented the Naismith Trophy every year since UCLA’s Lew Alcindor first won the award in 1969.  Old Dominion’s Anne Donovan won the inaugural Women’s Naismith Trophy in 1983.

The Naismith Award has become the most prestigious award in all of college basketball, recognizing the Men’s and Women’s College Basketball Player of the Year, Men’s and Women’s College Basketball Coach of the Year, as well as awards for outstanding achievement in high school basketball, officiating, and contribution to the game.

About AT&T
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