Beekman named to preseason watch list for Wooden Award

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Virginia’s Reece Beekman was named to the 2024 John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top-50 Watch List, announced Tuesday on ESPN’s SportsCenter and ESPN.com.

The list is comprised of 50 student-athletes who are the early front-runners for the most prestigious honors in college basketball, the Wooden Award All-American Team and Most Outstanding Player Award.

Beekman has averaged 14.5 points, 6.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 3.0 steals for the Cavaliers (2-0) this season. He was named to the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Men’s Preseason 50 Watch List earlier this month.

The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2024 John R. Wooden Award Men’s Player of the Year presented by Principal. 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 2024 John R. Wooden Award will be presented in Los Angeles in April.