Maryland's Melo Trimble and Jake Layman named to Wooden Award watch list

The University of Maryland placed two players on the John R. Wooden Award preseason top-50 watch list as sophomore guard Melo Trimble and senior forward Jake Layman were both included. Former Maryland star Dez Wells was included in last year's.

The Wooden award is given annually to the nation's best player in both men's and women's college basketball. No player from the University of Maryland has ever received the award.

Maryland is one of just 12 schools to have multiple players on this year's list. The Big Ten leads all conferences, placing 10 players on this year's list.

Below is additional information about the award from a Maryland Athletics press release:

The 40th annual presentation of the John R. Wooden Award will take place during the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show presented by Wendy's. Texas Tech Head Men's Basketball Coach, Tubby Smith, will be presented with the Legends of Coaching trophy during the show as well. The Wooden Award Weekend, April 7-9, 2016, will honor the male and female Wooden Award winners, the top 5 All Americans, and the Legends of Coaching recipient, Coach Tubby Smith.

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 or her university that he or she is making progress toward graduation and maintaining a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA. Previous winners include such notables as Larry Bird ('79), Michael Jordan ('84), Tim Duncan ('97), Candace Parker ('07 and '08), Kevin Durant ('07), Maya Moore ('09 and '11), Trey Burke ('13) and Doug McDermott ('14). Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky won the 2015 John R. Wooden Award presented by Wendy's.