Preseason All-WCC Thrid-Team

November 09, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; San Francisco Dons forward Mark Tollefsen (23) drives in against Stanford Cardinal forward Josh Huestis (24) during the second half at Oracle Arena. The Stanford Cardinal defeated the San Francisco Dons 74-62. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

F – Mark Tollefsen (San Francisco)

By James Stapleton

There are a few reasons why I expect the Dons to improve this year and move up in the WCC standings. I absolutely rely on Mark Tollefsen to come into his own this season and step up as key player in the Dons frontcourt. His performance in the Hilltop HoopSFest dunking contest illustrate how awesome his jumping abilities truly are, but there is much more to Mark that meets the eye.

Many WCC fans may not know Tolly’s name quite yet, but this sophomore will draw ample attention after just a few WCC games. The lanky 6′ 9” forward has great shooting abilities, especially from behind the three  point line. Further, he has noticeably thinned out during the off season, which could lead to an extra kick to his (already quick) step. I could see the Dons adding Mark with Avry Holmes and Matt Glover on the court when they want to speed things up and play at a quicker pace.

As a completely versatile player, don’t be surprised to see the Dons feed Mark Tollefsen the rock when opponents are busy keeping Cole Dickerson and Cody Doolin in check. Mark has proven that he knows what to do with the basketball.