Rutgers Duo Selected to Wooden Watch List
Nov 03 | Women's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers junior Matee Ajavon (Newark, N.J.) and sophomore Kia Vaughn (Bronx. N.Y.) were two of the candidates named to the John R. Wooden Award Watch List, the National Advisory Board announced on Thursday. The preseason list is comprised of 30 women's basketball players who, based on last year's individual performance and team records, are the early frontrunners for college basketball's top trophy.
Avajon, Preseason All-BIG EAST honoree, averaged 12.6 points last season. In addition, the junior paced the team in assists (4.5/game) and steals (2.6/game). An All-BIG EAST First Team choice last winter, Avajon was the 2005 BIG EAST Freshman of the Year. She will miss the start of the season, recovering from surgery to repair a stress fracture.
Vaughn, an honorable mention All-BIG EAST preseason selection, averaged 6.3 points and 7.0 rebounds a game last season. She was a gold-medalist at the 2006 FIBA America U-20 Championship.
Veteran head coach C. Vivian Stringer and the women's basketball team will open play on Saturday, November 4 in an exhibition contest versus Houston Jaguars. Game time is set for at 2:00 p.m. at the RAC. Rutgers, tabbed second in the 2006-07 BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll, returns six letterwinners and three starters. In addition the Scarlet Knights boast a five-member recruiting class ranked first in the nation.
