WCC All-Conference Team and Individual Awards Announced
By Josh Horton
Feb 13, 2014; Stockton, CA, USA; Brigham Young Cougars guard Tyler Haws (3) goes up for a shot against the Pacific Tigers during the first half at Alex G. Spanos Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
I am a little late on this, but this afternoon the West Coast Conference announced their All-Conference Team and Individual Awards for the 2013-2014 season. In the past, Gonzaga has been represented well, but this time around the Bulldogs only have two representations in the final results (not including honorable mentions.)
Here is how the award breakdown goes by team, with their place in the final standings right beside.
1. BYU (2) – 4
2. LMU (10) – 3
2. Pepperdine (5) – 3
4. Santa Clara (8) – 2
4. Saint Mary’s (4) – 2
4. San Francisco (3) – 2
4. Gonzaga (1) -2
8. San Diego (6) – 1
9. Pacific (8) – 0
9. Portland (6) – 0
Anyways, here are the conference teams and awards in full:
Individual Awards
WCC Player of the Year
Tyler Haws, BYU
WCC Newcomer of the Year
Jared Brownridge, Santa Clara
WCC Defensive Player of the Year
Brendan Lane, Pepperdine
WCC Coach of the Year
Rex Walters, San Francisco
All-Conference Team
Sam Dower – F – Gonzaga
Kevin Pangos – G – Gonzaga
Brad Waldow – C – Saint Mary’s
Stephen Holt – G – Saint Mary’s
Cole Dickerson – F – San Francisco
Stacy Davis – F – Pepperdine
Anthony Ireland – G – Loyola Marymount
Johnny Dee – G – San Diego
Tyler Haws – G – BYU
Kyle Collinsworth – G – BYU
Honorable Mentions
Przemek Karnowski – C – Gonzaga
Ryan Nicholas – F – Portland
Thomas van der Mars – C – Portland
Tony Gill – F – Pacific
Avry Holmes – G – San Francisco
Kruize Pinkins – F – San Francisco
Jared Brownridge – G – Santa Clara
Brandon Clark – G – Santa Clara
Brendan Lane – F – Pepperdine
Matt Carlino – G – BYU
All-Freshman Team
Jared Brownridge – G – Santa Clara
Jeremy Major – G – Pepperdine
Evan Payne – G – Loyola Marymount
Gabe Levin – F – Loyola Marymount
Eric Mika – C – BYU
Snubs
The All-Conference team in general is solid and there are not a lot of players that you could take off without putting some serious thought into it.
However, there are quite a few big men left off that had All-Conference caliber seasons. Ryan Nicholas, Thomas van der Mars and Brendan Lane can make a case to move up to the squad from the honorable mentions.
If you had to take off a player off the All-Conference team it would Stacy Davis most likely, and Thomas van der Mars would hypothetically replace him in that case.
Gary Bell Jr. and Kevin Bailey both were not named, likely due to mid-season injuries that sidelined them.
Although I don’t necessarily agree with this notion, denying Mark Few WCC coach of the year after he lost Kelly Olynyk, Elias Harris and Mike Hart and proceeded to win the WCC title outright is suspect. However, Rex Walters resume is impressive this year and fits the bill.
Some Fun
Here is how I think the All-Conference’s starting lineup would be and what its rotation would be.
G – Anthony Ireland
G – Johnny Dee
G – Tyler Haws
F – Sam Dower Jr.
C – Brad Waldow
6th – Kyle Collinsworth
BE: Kevin Pangos
BE: Cole Dickerson
BE: Stephen Holt
BE: Stacy Davis