Self named Wooden Legends of Coaching recipient

2012   Geno Auriemma, Connecticut

2011   Tom Izzo, Michigan State

2010   Billy Donovan, Florida; Rick Barnes, Texas

2008   Pat Summitt, Tennessee; Gene Keady, Purdue; Jim Boeheim, Syracuse

2005   Jim Calhoun, Connecticut

2004   Mike Montgomery, Stanford

2003   Roy Williams, Kansas

2002   Denny Crum, Louisville

2001   Lute Olson, Arizona; Mike Krzyzewski, Duke

1999   Dean Smith, North Carolina

About the John R. Wooden Award

Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball.  It is bestowed upon the nation’s best basketball player at an NCAA Division I university who has proven to his or her university that he or she is making progress toward graduation and maintaining a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA.  Previous winners include Larry Bird (’79), Michael Jordan (’84), Tim Duncan (’97) and last year’s recipients, Brittney Griner of Baylor and Anthony Davis of Kentucky.

Since its inception, the John R. Wooden Award has contributed nearly one million dollars to universities’ general scholarship fund in the names of the All American recipients and has sent more than 1,000 underprivileged children to week-long college basketball camps.   Additionally, the John R. Wooden Award partners with 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 the All American players in attendance.  It is hosted at The Los Angeles Athletic Club during the John R. Wooden Award weekend.

The Legends of Coaching Award will be presented at the 37^th Annual Wooden Award Gala Celebration, which will take place the second week of April 11-13, 2012. For up-to-date information on the Wooden Award, please go to www.facebook.com/woodenaward and www.woodenaward.com.