Candidates Announced For 2016 Senior CLASS Award, OU's Buddy Hield On The List

Sixty men and women’s basketball student-athletes have been selected as candidates for the 2016 Senior CLASS Award.

Amongst the group is some local talent, including Oklahoma guard Buddy Hield, Oklahoma State shooting guard Phil Forte and Oral Roberts guard Obi Emegano.

Hield currently leads OU in scoring, averaging 26.1 points per game. The standout guard finished with a career-high 46 points in the team’s 109-106 loss to the Jayhawks (Jan. 4), the most scored against a top five team in 20 years and tied the most ever by an opponent in Lawrence.

Emegano currently ranks seventh in the nation in scoring, averaging 22.8 points per game and 11th in the nation in free throws made with 108. The Golden Eagles mainstay has also been named Summit League Player of the Week three times this season.

Forte has been out most of the season due to a torn ligament in his left elbow. Before his injury, he was averaging 13.3 points per game and shooting .357 from three-point range.

The honor will go to the collegiate hooper who excels on and off the court. To be considered for the award, the player must be classified as a Division I senior and exhibit excellence in four areas: community, classroom, character and competition.

In February, each class will be trimmed to ten finalists. Then those candidates will be placed on an official ballot and voted on nationwide by media, coaches and fans.

Men’s Candidates

Buddy Hield, Guard- University of Oklahoma

Phil Forte, Shooting Guard- Oklahoma State

Obi Emegano, Guard- Oral Roberts University

Perry Ellis, Forward- University of Kansas

Chris Fowler, Guard- Central Michigan

Mike Gesell, Guard- University of Iowa

Shaq Goodwin, Forward- University of Memphis

Peter Hooley, Guard- University at Albany

Amile Jefferson, Forward- Duke University

Cedric Kuakumensah, Forward- Brown

Ryan Arcidiacono, Guard- Villanova

John Brown, Forward- High Point University

Craig Bradshaw, Guard- Belmont

Malcolm Brogdon, Guard- University of Virginia

Kyle Collinsworth, Guard- BYU

Rapheal Davis, Guard- Purdue University

Alex Poythress, Forward- University of Kentucky

James Robinson, Guard- University of Pittsburgh

Justin Sears, Forward- Yale University

Shavon Shields, Forward/Guard- University of Nebraska

Denzel Valentine, Guard- Michigan State

Fred VanVleet, Point Guard- Wichita State University

Thoams Walkup, G/F- Stephen F. Austin State University

Jameel Warney, Forward- Stony Brook University

Kyle Wiltjer, Forward- Gonzaga

Egidijus Mockevicius, Center - University of Evansville

Nic Moore, Guard- SMU

Georges Niang, Forward- Iowa State University

Ethan O’Day, Forward- University of Vermont

Marcus Paige, Guard- University of North Carolina

Women’s Candidates

Moriah Jefferson, Guard- University of Connecticut

Chanise Jenkins, Guard- DePaul

Jonquel Jones, Forward- George Washington University

Jordan Jones, Point Guard- Texas A&M University

Whitney Knight, Guard- FGCU

Zahna Medley, Guard- Texas Christian University

Kelsey Minato, Guard- Army West Point

Tiffany Mitchell, Guard- University of South Carolina

Janelle Perez, Guard- Northwestern State University

Shereesha Richards, Forward- University at Albany

Raquel Scott, Forward- Holy Cross

Imani Boyette, Center- University of Texas

Adut Bulgak, Center- Florida State University

Ruvanna Campbell, Forward- UIC

Cait Craft, Guard- Ohio State

Elisha Davis, Guard- Arizona State University

Aundrea Gamble, Guard- Arkansas State

Ruth Hamblin, Center- Oregon State

Michelle Woods, Guard- Miami (FL)

Jillian Alleyne, Forward- Oregon

Ashley Beverly Kelley, Guard- Troy University

Nikki Hegstetter, Forward- The University of Alabama

Bria Holmes, Guard- West Virginia University

Malina Howard, Center- University of Maryland

Marissa Janning, Guard- Creighton

Breanna Stewart, Forward- University of Connecticut

Rachel Theriot, Point Guard- Nebraska

Elle Tinkle, Guard- Gonzaga University

Kaylon Williams, Forward- University of Oklahoma

Elizabeth Wood, Forward- University of Maine