Photo by: SMC Athletics / Piper Westrom
MBB | Marciulionis Named to the Preseason Watchlist for the John R. Wooden Award
11/8/2024 9:43:00 AM | Men's Basketball
LOS ANGELES — As announced by the Los Angeles Athletic Club, Saint Mary's senior point guard and defending WCC Player of the Year Augustas Marciulionis has been named to the preseason watchlist for the John R. Wooden Award, presented by Principal. Chosen by a preseason poll of national college basketball experts, the list is comprised of 50 student-athletes who are the early front- runners for the most prestigious honors in college basketball, the Wooden Award All American TeamTM and Most Outstanding Player Award.
After spending his first two seasons as a role player, Marciulionis became the Gaels go-to guy in his junior campaign. Serving as both scorer and facilitator, the Vilnius, Lithuania native averaged 12.4 points and 5.3 assists per game last year, while holding a stellar 2.7 assist to turnover ratio. Marciulionis led the Gaels to both a WCC regular season and tournament title, and was named the conference's player of the year and the conference tournament Most Outstanding Player, the second ever Gael to accomplish this feat (Matthew Dellavedova). He has picked up where he left off last season, averaging 18.5 points and 7.5 assists per contest in his first two games this year.
Created in 1976, the Los Angeles Athletic Club John R. Wooden Award ProgramTM hosts the most prestigious honors in college basketball recognizing The Wooden Award® Most Outstanding Player for men and women, The Wooden Award All AmericaTM Teams for men and women and the annual selection of the Wooden Award® Legend of Coaching recipient. Wooden Award® All Americans 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. Previous winners include Larry Bird ('79), Michael Jordan ('84), Tim Duncan ('97), Kevin Durant ('07), Candace Parker ('07; '08), Maya Moore ('09; '11), Breanna Stewart ('15; '16), and the last two year's ('23 &'24) recipients, Caitlin Clark of Iowa and Zach Edey of Purdue.
Here is the list of the 50 players on the Preseason Watchlist:
KJ Adams, Kansas, Senior
Robbie Avila, Saint Louis, Junior
Ace Bailey, Rutgers, Freshman
Ace Baldwin, Penn State, Junior
Oumar Ballo, Indiana, Grad Student
Johni Broome, Auburn, Senior
Walter Clayton Jr., Florida, Junior
LJ Cryer, Houston, Senior
Johnell Davis, Arkansas, Senior
RJ Davis, North Carolina, Senior
Tyson Degenhart, Boise State, Junior
Tucker DeVries, West Virginia, Senior
Hunter Dickinson, Kansas, Grad Student
Eric Dixon, Villanova, Senior
VJ Edgecomb, Baylor, Freshman
Cooper Flagg, Duke, Freshman
Dawson Garcia, Minnesota, Senior
Dylan Harper, Rutgers, Freshman
Dajuan Harris, Kansas, Junior
Coleman Hawkins, Kansas State, Senior
Bryce Hopkins, Providence, Junior
Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State, Sophomore
Graham Ike, Gonzaga, Senior
Kam Jones, Marquette, Senior
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton, Senior
Alex Karaban, UConn, Junior
Yaxel Lendeborg, UAB, Sophomore
Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State, Junior
Caleb Love, Arizona, Senior
Augustas Marciulionis, Saint Mary's, Senior
Liam McNeeley, UConn, Freshman
Matthew Murrell, Ole Miss, Senior
Grant Nelson, Alabama, Senior
Ryan Nembhard, Gonzaga, Junior
Norchad Omier, Baylor, Senior
Cliff Omoruyi, Alabama, Senior
Great Osobor, Washington, Junior
Tyrese Proctor, Duke, Junior
Kadary Richmond, St. John's, Senior
Jeremy Roach, Baylor, Senior
J'Wan Roberts, Houston, Senior
Jaxson Robinson, Kentucky, Junior
Hunter Sallis, Wake Forrest, Junior
Payton Sandfort, Iowa, Senior
Mark Sears, Alabama, Senior
Braden Smith, Purdue, Junior
AJ Storr, Kansas, Junior
Wade Taylor IV, Texas A&M, Junior
Bruce Thornton, Ohio State, Junior
Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee, Junior
DON'T MISS OUT ON HOME MEN'S BASKETBALL ACTION. TICKETS ARE ON SALE HERE.
#GaelsRise
After spending his first two seasons as a role player, Marciulionis became the Gaels go-to guy in his junior campaign. Serving as both scorer and facilitator, the Vilnius, Lithuania native averaged 12.4 points and 5.3 assists per game last year, while holding a stellar 2.7 assist to turnover ratio. Marciulionis led the Gaels to both a WCC regular season and tournament title, and was named the conference's player of the year and the conference tournament Most Outstanding Player, the second ever Gael to accomplish this feat (Matthew Dellavedova). He has picked up where he left off last season, averaging 18.5 points and 7.5 assists per contest in his first two games this year.
Created in 1976, the Los Angeles Athletic Club John R. Wooden Award ProgramTM hosts the most prestigious honors in college basketball recognizing The Wooden Award® Most Outstanding Player for men and women, The Wooden Award All AmericaTM Teams for men and women and the annual selection of the Wooden Award® Legend of Coaching recipient. Wooden Award® All Americans 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. Previous winners include Larry Bird ('79), Michael Jordan ('84), Tim Duncan ('97), Kevin Durant ('07), Candace Parker ('07; '08), Maya Moore ('09; '11), Breanna Stewart ('15; '16), and the last two year's ('23 &'24) recipients, Caitlin Clark of Iowa and Zach Edey of Purdue.
Here is the list of the 50 players on the Preseason Watchlist:
KJ Adams, Kansas, Senior
Robbie Avila, Saint Louis, Junior
Ace Bailey, Rutgers, Freshman
Ace Baldwin, Penn State, Junior
Oumar Ballo, Indiana, Grad Student
Johni Broome, Auburn, Senior
Walter Clayton Jr., Florida, Junior
LJ Cryer, Houston, Senior
Johnell Davis, Arkansas, Senior
RJ Davis, North Carolina, Senior
Tyson Degenhart, Boise State, Junior
Tucker DeVries, West Virginia, Senior
Hunter Dickinson, Kansas, Grad Student
Eric Dixon, Villanova, Senior
VJ Edgecomb, Baylor, Freshman
Cooper Flagg, Duke, Freshman
Dawson Garcia, Minnesota, Senior
Dylan Harper, Rutgers, Freshman
Dajuan Harris, Kansas, Junior
Coleman Hawkins, Kansas State, Senior
Bryce Hopkins, Providence, Junior
Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State, Sophomore
Graham Ike, Gonzaga, Senior
Kam Jones, Marquette, Senior
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton, Senior
Alex Karaban, UConn, Junior
Yaxel Lendeborg, UAB, Sophomore
Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State, Junior
Caleb Love, Arizona, Senior
Augustas Marciulionis, Saint Mary's, Senior
Liam McNeeley, UConn, Freshman
Matthew Murrell, Ole Miss, Senior
Grant Nelson, Alabama, Senior
Ryan Nembhard, Gonzaga, Junior
Norchad Omier, Baylor, Senior
Cliff Omoruyi, Alabama, Senior
Great Osobor, Washington, Junior
Tyrese Proctor, Duke, Junior
Kadary Richmond, St. John's, Senior
Jeremy Roach, Baylor, Senior
J'Wan Roberts, Houston, Senior
Jaxson Robinson, Kentucky, Junior
Hunter Sallis, Wake Forrest, Junior
Payton Sandfort, Iowa, Senior
Mark Sears, Alabama, Senior
Braden Smith, Purdue, Junior
AJ Storr, Kansas, Junior
Wade Taylor IV, Texas A&M, Junior
Bruce Thornton, Ohio State, Junior
Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee, Junior
DON'T MISS OUT ON HOME MEN'S BASKETBALL ACTION. TICKETS ARE ON SALE HERE.
#GaelsRise
Players Mentioned
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