STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford senior forward Alanna Smith was named to the John R. Wooden Award Women's Midseason Top 25 the Los Angeles Athletic Club announced Wednesday.
The list is comprised of student-athletes who are front-runners for the sport's most prestigious honor, based on their performances during the first half of the 2018-19 season. The Wooden Award All American Team, consisting of the nation's top five players, will be announced the week of the Final Four.
Smith appeared on a laundry of preseason watch lists in addition to the Wooden Award, including the including the Naismith Trophy, Wade Trophy, Katrina McClain Award and Senior CLASS Award, and has backed up that recognition with her play thus far.
The espnW, USBWA and Pac-12 Player of the Week from Dec. 17, this season Smith is shooting 54.5 percent from the field (91-of-167), 47.9 percent from behind the arc (34-of-71) and averaging a team-high 19.3 points per game to go with 7.2 rebounds. She is the only player in the nation shooting better than 54 percent from the floor and 47 percent from deep.
Smith, who has double-doubles in three of her last four games, is also one of two players in the country averaging 19.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.2 blocks per game this season (Bella Alarie - Princeton). She is third in the conference and 45th in the country in field goal percentage, second in the Pac-12 and 12th in the country in 3-point percentage, sixth in the league and 34th nationally in scoring and first in the conference and 30th in the country in blocks per game.
The 6-foot-4 Smith is 29th in school history in scoring (1,255) and fifth in blocks (175) and has made 108 career 3-pointers, more than any other player her height since 2015-16. With her 47.9 percent clip from behind the arc, the Australian has put herself in some elite company. Elena Delle Donne is the only NCAA player 6-foot-4 and taller over the past 20 years to shoot better than 40 percent from 3-point range for an entire season when she made 41.3 percent as a freshman at Delaware in 2009-10.
Smith and the No. 6 Cardinal begin their conference road schedule at No. 19 Arizona State (11-3, 2-1) on Friday, Jan. 11 at 6 p.m. PT/7 p.m. MT. Krista Blunk and Mary Murphy have the call on Pac-12 Networks and Kevin Danna will handle the radio broadcast on GoStanford.com.
