Xavier University Athletics
Naji Marshall Named To Watch List for 2020 Wooden Award
11.05.19 | Men's Basketball
Junior adds to his impressive list of preseason accolades.
CINCINNATI --- Xavier University junior forward Naji Marshall has been named to the preseason Top 50 Watch List today for the The John R. Wooden Award presented by Wendy's. 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 prestigious Wooden Award All American Team and Most Outstanding Player Award.
The Preseason Top 50 list represents 12 conferences. The Pac-12 leads all conferences with 8 selections, followed by the BIG EAST and SEC with seven apiece, the Big Ten with six, the ACC with five, the Big 12 with four, the American and WCC with three apiece, the A-10 and Mountain West with two each, and the America East, Conference USA, and Horizon League with one selection apiece.
The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2020 John R. Wooden Award Men's Player of the Year presented by Wendy's. Players not chosen to the preseason list are still eligible for the Wooden Award midseason list, late season list, and the National Ballot. The National Ballot consists of 15 top players who have proven to their universities that they meet or exceed the qualifications of the Wooden Award. Nearly 1,000 voters will rank in order 10 of those 15 players when voting opens prior to the NCAA Tournament and will allow voters to take into consideration performance during early round games. The Wooden Award All American Team™ will be announced the week of the "Elite Eight" round of the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the 2020 John R. Wooden Award will be presented by Wendy's during the ESPN College Basketball Awards on Friday, April 10, 2020.
Marshall, who is also on the preseason watch lists for the 2020 Citizen Naismith Trophy and the Basketball Hall of Fame Julius Erving Award, was named preseason First Team All-BIG EAST Conference by the league coaches. Marshall led Xavier in scoring last season at 14.7 ppg., which ranked 12th in the BIG EAST. Marshall ranked second on the team in rebounding at 7.2 rpg., which was eighth in the BIG EAST, and assists at 3.4 apg., which was 10th in the BIG EAST. Marshall led the BIG EAST in defensive rebounding at 6.3 rpg. He was a 2018-19 All-BIG EAST Second Team selection.
Xavier hosts Opening Night for the 2019-20 season tonight vs. Jacksonville at 7 p.m.
About the John R. Wooden Award
Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award Program hosts the most prestigious honors in college basketball recognizing The Wooden Award Most Outstanding Player for men and women, The Wooden Award All American Teams for men and women and the annual selection of the Wooden Award Legend of Coaching recipient. Honorees 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.
Since its inception, the John R. Wooden Award has contributed nearly one million dollars to the universities' general scholarship fund in the names of the Wooden Award 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 the 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 Wooden Award All Americans and coaches in attendance. It is hosted at the Los Angeles Athletic Club during the John R. Wooden Award Weekend.
For up-to-date information on the Wooden Award, please go to www.woodenaward.com and follow the Wooden Award on Facebook at www.facebook.com/woodenaward and @WoodenAward on Twitter and Instagram.
The Preseason Top 50 list represents 12 conferences. The Pac-12 leads all conferences with 8 selections, followed by the BIG EAST and SEC with seven apiece, the Big Ten with six, the ACC with five, the Big 12 with four, the American and WCC with three apiece, the A-10 and Mountain West with two each, and the America East, Conference USA, and Horizon League with one selection apiece.
The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2020 John R. Wooden Award Men's Player of the Year presented by Wendy's. Players not chosen to the preseason list are still eligible for the Wooden Award midseason list, late season list, and the National Ballot. The National Ballot consists of 15 top players who have proven to their universities that they meet or exceed the qualifications of the Wooden Award. Nearly 1,000 voters will rank in order 10 of those 15 players when voting opens prior to the NCAA Tournament and will allow voters to take into consideration performance during early round games. The Wooden Award All American Team™ will be announced the week of the "Elite Eight" round of the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the 2020 John R. Wooden Award will be presented by Wendy's during the ESPN College Basketball Awards on Friday, April 10, 2020.
Marshall, who is also on the preseason watch lists for the 2020 Citizen Naismith Trophy and the Basketball Hall of Fame Julius Erving Award, was named preseason First Team All-BIG EAST Conference by the league coaches. Marshall led Xavier in scoring last season at 14.7 ppg., which ranked 12th in the BIG EAST. Marshall ranked second on the team in rebounding at 7.2 rpg., which was eighth in the BIG EAST, and assists at 3.4 apg., which was 10th in the BIG EAST. Marshall led the BIG EAST in defensive rebounding at 6.3 rpg. He was a 2018-19 All-BIG EAST Second Team selection.
Xavier hosts Opening Night for the 2019-20 season tonight vs. Jacksonville at 7 p.m.
About the John R. Wooden Award
Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award Program hosts the most prestigious honors in college basketball recognizing The Wooden Award Most Outstanding Player for men and women, The Wooden Award All American Teams for men and women and the annual selection of the Wooden Award Legend of Coaching recipient. Honorees 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.
Since its inception, the John R. Wooden Award has contributed nearly one million dollars to the universities' general scholarship fund in the names of the Wooden Award 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 the 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 Wooden Award All Americans and coaches in attendance. It is hosted at the Los Angeles Athletic Club during the John R. Wooden Award Weekend.
For up-to-date information on the Wooden Award, please go to www.woodenaward.com and follow the Wooden Award on Facebook at www.facebook.com/woodenaward and @WoodenAward on Twitter and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's BasketballHIGHLIGHTS | Men's Basketball at Georgetown
Sunday, December 21
HIGHLIGHTS | Men's Basketball vs. Creighton
Thursday, December 18
PRESS CONFERENCE | Richard Pitino (12-15-2025)
Monday, December 15
HIGHLIGHTS | Men's Basketball vs. Missouri State
Saturday, December 13