Butler's Gordon Hayward Named To Wooden Award List

INDIANAPOLIS - Butler University sophomore Gordon Hayward has been named to the list of preseason candidates for the 2009-10 John R. Wooden Award All-American Team and Player of the Year trophy. This list is comprised of 50 student-athletes who, based on last year's individual performance and team records, are the early frontrunners for college basketball's most prestigious honor.

Hayward was named Horizon League Newcomer of the Year and first team All-Horizon League in 2008-09 after helping Butler to a 26-6 campaign, a "Top 25" national ranking and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The 6-8 forward, who was chosen to the National All-Freshman Team by FoxSports.com, was Butler's second-leading scorer (13.1) and rebounder (6.5) in his initial season.

This summer in Auckland, New Zealand, Hayward, along with teammate Shelvin Mack, helped the U.S. capture its first FIBA U-19 world championship since 1991. He averaged 10 points, 5.7 rebounds and shot 41.4% from the three-point arc for the Gold Medal-winning U.S. squad. He was one of two U.S. players named to the tournament's Best of the Best team.

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