Lincoln – Nebraska’s Jaz Shelley was one of 50 women’s basketball players nationally named to the Wooden Award Preseason Watch List announced on Tuesday, Nov. 14.
The John R. Wooden Award presented by Principal is selected by a panel of college basketball experts, and the candidates are also in contention for the Wooden Award All-America Team.
Shelley, a 5-9 guard from Moe, Australia, is one of 20 shooting guards nationally in the hunt for the Ann Meyers-Drysdale Award. The preseason first-team All-Big Ten selection was also a first-team All-Big Ten guard last season for the Huskers. Through two games in 2023-24, Shelley is leading Nebraska with team-best averages of 16.0 points, 6.5 assists and 3.0 steals to go along with 4.0 rebounds per game for the 2-0 Huskers.
Last season, Shelley averaged 14.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game. In her first year as a Husker in 2021-22, she averaged 13.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.0 assists to earn second-team All-Big Ten accolades while also claiming a spot on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team.
A standout in the classroom, Shelley was a CSC Academic All-District honoree while earning Academic All-Big Ten honors last season. A two-time participant at the NBA Student-Athlete Summit, Shelley was the only collegian on the Australian National Team at the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup, winning a bronze medal as a member of the Opals.
Shelley and the Huskers will be in action tonight at Pinnacle Bank Arena when they play host to Alcorn State. Tip-off with the Lady Braves is set for 7 p.m. and tickets are available now at Huskers.com.
2023 Wooden Award Preseason Top 50Georgia Amoore, 5-6, Sr., G – Virginia TechSarah Andrews, 5-6, Sr., G – BaylorLauren Betts, 6-7, So., C – UCLACameron Brink, 6-4, Sr., F – StanfordPaige Bueckers, 6-0, Jr., G – UConnKamilla Cardoso, 6-7, Sr., C, South CarolinaJessika Carter, 6-5, Sr., F/C, Mississippi StateSonia Citron, 6-1, Jr., G, Notre DameCaitlin Clark, 6-0, Sr., G, IowaOlivia Cochran, 6-3, Sr., F, LouisvilleMakira Cook, 5-6, Sr., G, IllinoisAaliyah Edwards, 6-3, Sr., F, UConnDyaisha Fair, 5-5, Sr., G, SyracuseAzzi Fudd, 5-11, Jr., G, UConnGabby Gregory, 6-0, Sr., G, Kansas StateRori Harmon, 5-6, Jr., G, TexasMackenzie Holmes, 6-3, Sr., F, Indiana Abbey Hsu, 5-11, Sr., G, ColumbiaRickea Jackson, 6-2, Sr., F, TennesseeTaiyanna Jackson, 6-6, Sr., C, KansasFlau’jae Johnson, 5-10, So., G, LSUHannah Jump, 6-0, Sr., G, StanfordDeja Kelly, 5-8, Sr., G, North CarolinaElizabeth Kitley, 6-6, Sr., C, Virginia TechGianna Kneepkens, 6-0, Jr., G, UtahTa’Niya Latson, 5-8, So., G, Florida StateAyoka Lee, 6-6, Sr., C, Kansas StateCharlisse Leger-Walker, 5-10, Sr., G, Washington StateDarianna Littlepage-Buggs, 6-1, So., G/F, BaylorQuinesha Lockett, 5-10, Sr., G, ToledoRayah Marshall, 6-4, Jr., C/F, USCCotie McMahon, 6-0, So., F, Ohio StateOlivia Miles, 5-10, Jr., G, Notre DameAneesah Morrow, 6-1, Jr., G, LSUCharisma Osborne, 5-9, Sr., G, UCLATe-Hina Paopao, 5-9, Sr., G, South CarolinaLaila Phelia, 6-0, Jr., G, MichiganAlissa Pili, 6-2, Sr., F, UtahAngel Reese, 6-3, Jr., F, LSUKiki Rice, 5-11, So., G, UCLASaniya Rivers, 6-1, Jr., G, NC StateMadison Scott, 6-2, Sr., F, Ole MissShyanne Sellers, 6-2, Jr., G, MarylandJacy Sheldon, 5-10, Sr., G, Ohio StateJaz Shelley, 5-9, Sr., G, NebraskaJaylyn Sherrod, 5-7, Sr., G, ColoradoCeleste Taylor, 5-11, Sr., G, Ohio StateAlyssa Ustby, 6-1, Sr., G/F, North CarolinaHailey Van Lith, 5-7, Sr., G, LSUJuJu Watkins, 6-2, Fr., G, USC
