Fredette Named a Naismith Trophy Midseason Candidate

ATLANTA -- 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.

BYU's Jimmer Fredette is the only player from the Mountain West Conference on the midseason team. Fredette is also a John R. Wooden Award Candidate and a finalist for the Oscar Robertson Trophy. The MWC Preseason Player of the Year has also been named the MWC Player of the Week five times this season and was the USBWA Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week on Jan. 4.

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.

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             G/F       Sophomore
Hummel      Robbie      Purdue             Forward   Junior
James       Damion      Texas              G/F       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     Freshman
Reynolds    Scottie     Villanova          Guard     Senior
Samhan      Omar        Saint Mary's       Center    Senior
Scheyer     Jon         Duke               Guard     Senior
Turner      Evan        Ohio State         G/F       Junior
Varnado     Jarvis      Mississippi State  Forward   Senior
Vasquez     Greivis     Maryland           Guard     Senior
Wall        John        Kentucky           Guard     Freshman