Boston College Athletics
Craig Smith Named to Wooden Award Preseason List
August 06, 2003 | Men's Basketball
Aug. 6, 2003
Boston College forward Craig Smith has been named as one of 50 student-athletes on the John R. Wooden Preseason All-American Team. The list is composed of players who are the early frontrunners for college basketball's most coveted trophy.
Only returning players are eligible for the preseason team, although transfers and freshmen as well as other players who excel throughout the season will be evaluated and considered for the Midseason 30 list and the National Ballot.
Ten NCAA conferences are represented on the 50-player list. The BIG EAST Conference led all conferences with 11 players on the list.
Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball. It is bestowed upon the nation's best player at an institution of higher education who has proven to his university that he is making progress toward graduation and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA.
Smith averaged 19.9 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in his freshman season. He earned BIG EAST All-Rookie first team accolades, while also gaining All-Conference second team honors. Smith captured All-Tournament honors at the 2003 BIG EAST Championship at Madison Square Garden.
He shot 60.8 percent from the field in his first collegiate season, tops among all BIG EAST players.
Boston College finished the 2002-03 season with a 19-12 record, including a 10-6 mark in league play.
