March 31, 2009

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Darren Collison, a senior guard from UCLA, is the 2009 recipient of the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award, presented annually by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the nation's outstanding senior male collegian 6'0" and under who has excelled both athletically and academically.

Darren Collison decided to go back to UCLA for his senior season and played well. He averaged 14.4 points, 4.7 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. Collison led the Pac-10 in free throw percentage, was third in assists, steals, and assists-to-turnover ratio, and was 14th in scoring. He was also named to the All-Pac-10 First Team. He finished his UCLA career with 1,639 points and 577 assists, for career averages of 11.5 points and 4 assists. The three time Bob Cousy Award Finalist has had a stellar career at UCLA. He has three Final Four appearances and played in the most NCAA Tournament games of any active player. Previous accomplishments include being named to the third team All-America, All-Pac-10 Defensive Team, and Most Outstanding Player of the Pac-10 Tournament. Collison becomes just the second Bruin to win the award (Tyus Edney, 1995).

"We are proud to honor Darren Collison with the 2009 Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award", stated John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. "The combination of his success on the court and his achievements in the classroom as a student-athlete make him a deserving recipient who exemplifies the qualities this award is designed to celebrate."

The Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award is named in honor of James Naismith's daughter-in-law. A panel of representatives from the National Association of Basketball Coaches selects the recipient. To earn the award, the recipient must demonstrate leadership, character, loyalty, all-around basketball ability and excellence in the classroom.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame pays tribute to the game's inventor, Dr. James Naismith. Located in Springfield, Mass., "the Birthplace of Basketball", the world's only Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves men's and women's basketball at every level - professional, collegiate, scholastic, Olympic, international and wheelchair.

Previous winners of the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award:

1969 William Keller, Purdue University

1970 John Rinka, Kenyon

1971 Charlie Johnson, University of California

1972 Scott Martin, University of Oklahoma

1973 Robert Sherwin, Army

1974 Mike Robinson, Michigan State

1975 Monte Tow, North Carolina State

1976 Frank Alagia, St. John's

1977 Jeff Jonas, Utah

1978 Mike Schieb, Susquehanna

1979 Alton Byrd, Columbia

1980 Jim Sweeney, Boston College

1981 Terry Adolph, West Texas State

1982 Jack Moore, University of Nebraska

1983 Ray McMallum, Ball State University

1984 Ricky Stokes, University of Virginia

1985 Bubba Jennings, Texas Tech University

1986 Jim Les, Bradley University

1987 Tyrone Bogues, Wake Forest University

1988 Jerry Johnson, Florida Southern

1989 Tim Hardaway, UTEP

1990 Greg Harvey, St. John's

1991 Keith Jennings, East Tennessee State

1992 Tony Bennett, Wisconsin-Green Bay

1993 Sam Crawford, New Mexico State

1994 Greg Brown, University of New Mexico

1995 Tyus Edney, UCLA

1996 Eddie Benton, University of Vermont

1997 Brevin Knight, Stanford University

1998 Earl Boykins, E. Michigan University

1999 Shawnta Rogers, George Washington U.

2000 Scoonie Penn, Ohio State Universtiy

2001 Rashad Phillips, Detroit

2002 Steve Logan, University of Connecticut

2003 Jason Gardner, University of Arizona

2004 Jameer Nelson, St. Joseph's

2005 Nate Robinson, University of Washington

2006 Dee Brown, University of Illinois

2007 Tre' Kelley, University of South Carolina

2008 Mike Green, Butler University

2009 Darren Collison, UCLA