PDF: DENVER - The Western Athletic Conference men's basketball postseason award winners as selected by the league's nine head coaches were announced today.
The first team is led by Nevada sophomore forward Luke Babbitt who was also voted the WAC's Player of the Year. Babbitt led the WAC in scoring at 23.7 points per game and ranked third in rebounding at 8.9 rebounds per game in WAC play. Utah State's Jared Quayle and Tai Wesley, New Mexico State's Jahmar Young and San Jose State's Adrian Oliver were also first team selections.
Babbitt, Quayle and Young are repeat all-WAC honorees from last season. Babbitt and Young earned first team all-WAC honors last year, while Quayle received second team honors in 2009.
This season marks the fifth time that a Nevada student-athlete has been named the WAC Player of the Year in the 10 years that Nevada has been a member of the WAC. Babbitt is the first Wolf Pack player to win the award since Nick Fazekas was named the WAC Player of the Year for the third consecutive season in 2007. This also marks the second time that Babbitt has been named to the All-WAC first team after he earned the honor and was named the WAC Freshman of the Year in 2009.
This year's all-WAC second team consists of Fresno State's Paul George, Louisiana Tech's Kyle Gibson and Magnum Rolle, Nevada's Armon Johnson and New Mexico State's Jonathan Gibson. Gibson and Johnson also earned all-WAC honors last season. Johnson was named the WAC Freshman of the Year and a member of the WAC All-Newcomer team in 2008 and was a first-team All-WAC honoree in 2009.
Fresno State center Greg Smith becomes the second Bulldog player in team history to earn the WAC's Freshman of the Year award. In 16 conference games, Smith averaged 11.4 points per contest and 5.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 53.1 percent from the field.
Utah State head coach Stew Morrill earned his second Don Haskins Coach of the Year honor by leading the Aggies to a third-straight regular season WAC title. In his 12th year with Utah State, Morrill led the Aggies to a 14-2 conference record.
Those named to the WAC's all-defensive team were Idaho's Marvin Jefferson, Louisiana Tech's Kyle Gibson and Magnum Rolle, Nevada's Dario Hunt and Utah State's Pooh Williams. The honor for Hunt is his first All-WAC accolade.
Selected to the WAC's all-newcomer team were Boise State's Daequon Montreal, Fresno State's Greg Smith, Louisiana Tech's DeAndre Brown, and Utah State's Nate Bendall and Brian Green.
The 2010 WAC Tournament will be held March 10-13, at the Lawlor Events Center in Reno, Nev. The men's teams will compete March 11-13. ESPNU will carry two men's quarterfinal games, including the noon and 2:30 p.m. PT games on Thursday, March 11. ESPN2 will show the men's semifinal game on Friday, March 12 at 9:00 p.m. (PT) and the men's championship game on Saturday, March 13 at 7:00 p.m. PT. All of the games not televised by ESPN will be available on WAC.tv.
2009-10 WAC Men's Basketball Postseason Award Winners
All-Conference
First Team
Luke Babbitt, Nevada, F, 6-9, 225, So., Reno, Nev. (Galena HS)
Jahmar Young, New Mexico State, G, 6-4, 180, Jr., Baltimore, Md. (Laurinberg Prep)
Adrian Oliver, San Jose State, G, 6-4, 210, Jr., Modesto, Calif. (Washington)
Jared Quayle, Utah State, G, 6-1, 180, Sr., Perry, Utah (Western Wyoming CC)
Tai Wesley, Utah State, F, 6-7, 240, Jr., Provo, Utah (Provo HS)
Second Team
Paul George, Fresno State, G/F, 6-8, 215, So., Palmdale, Calif. (Pete Knight HS)
Kyle Gibson, Louisiana Tech, G, 6-5, 205, Sr., Los Angeles, Calif. (Dorsey HS)
Magnum Rolle, Louisiana Tech, F/C, 6-11, 220, Sr., Freeport, Bahamas (LSU)
Armon Johnson, Nevada, G, 6-3, 195, Jr., Reno, Nev. (Hug HS)
Jonathan Gibson, New Mexico State, G, 6-1, 171, Sr., West Covina, Calif. (Calvary Christian)
Honorable Mention
Daequon Montreal, Boise State, F, 6-8, 220, Jr., Syracuse, N.Y. (College of Southern Idaho)
Sylvester Seay, Fresno State, F, 6-10, 235, Sr., San Bernardino, Calif. (Arizona State)
Roderick Flemings, Hawai'i, F, 6-7, 210, Sr., Dallas, Texas (Weatherford College)
Mac Hopson, Idaho, G, 6-2, 185, Sr., Portland, Ore. (Washington State)
Wendell McKines, New Mexico State, F, 6-6, 224, Jr., Oakland, Calif. (Richmond HS)
Player of the Year: Luke Babbitt, Nevada
Freshman of the Year: Greg Smith, Fresno State
Don Haskins Coach of the Year: Stew Morrill, Utah State
All-Defensive Team
Marvin Jefferson, Idaho, C, 6-10, 245, Sr., Merced, Calif. (Modesto JC)
Kyle Gibson, Louisiana Tech, G, 6-5, 205, Sr., Los Angeles, Calif. (Dorsey HS)
Magnum Rolle, Louisiana Tech, F/C, 6-11, 220, Sr., Freeport, Bahamas (LSU)
Dario Hunt, Nevada, F, 6-8, 230, So., Colorado Springs, Colo. (Charis Prep)
Pooh Williams, Utah State, G/F, 6-3, 200, Jr., Federal Way, Wash. (Federal Way HS)
All-Newcomer Team
Daequon Montreal, Boise State, F, 6-8, 220, Jr., Syracuse, N.Y. (College of Southern Idaho)
Greg Smith, Fresno State, C, 6-10, 250, Fr., Fresno, Calif. (Westwind Academy/Edison HS)
DeAndre Brown, Louisiana Tech, G, 5-11, 160, Jr., Fort Worth, Texas (Navarro JC)
Nate Bendall, Utah State, F, 6-9, 245, Jr., Salt Lake City, Utah (Salt Lake CC)
Brian Green, Utah State, G, 6-1, 195, Jr., Kaysville, Utah (Salt Lake CC)
Head Coach David Carter on Nevada's selections to the All-WAC teams:
"I am very fortunate to be able to coach these young men and see them be rewarded for the hard work they have put into being the best players they can be."
Carter on WAC Player of the Year Luke Babbitt:
"I am extremely proud of Luke Babbitt for being named the WAC Player of the Year. He has been very consistent for our team throughout the conference as well as throughout the season. It's an accomplishment for a player the caliber of Luke who has taken on many from opposing teams to have had the year he has had to this point."
Carter on junior Armon Johnson:
"I am very excited for Armon Johnson being named to the All-WAC second team. He has worked very hard to become a more complete player and leader on our team, and it is a well-deserved honor."
Carter on sophomore Dario Hunt:
"Dario Hunt being named to the WAC All-Defensive team is a great honor. I am very happy to see him recognized for his hard work on the defensive end."
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