May 24, 2002

SAN BRUNO, Calif. - Gonzaga University first baseman Nate Gold was named the West Coast Conference Player of the Year as the league office released the 2002 All-WCC baseball team. In addition to Gold, six other Bulldogs earned All-WCC recognition with Brent Dayton and Eric Rodland each making the All-WCC first team. Kevin Richardson was a second team selection while Brian Munhall and Grant Zurmely each earned honorable mention accolades.

Gold was a unanimous choice for the Player of the Year award after leading the nation with 33 home runs which set a new Gonzaga and West Coast Conference single-season record for home runs. The 33 home runs also placed Gold in a tie for ninth all-time in the NCAA single-season home run record book. His 76 RBI also set a new school record while he led the WCC in slugging percentage (.842), RBI (76), total bases (192) and runs scored (59). Gold becomes the first Gonzaga player to win the WCC Player of the Year award and the first Bulldog since Darin Blood to win a Player of the Year award. Blood was named the Pacific-10 Conference North Player of the Year in 1995, the last season Gonzaga competed in that league.

Dayton was a first team All-WCC selection after finishing the season with a 5-4 record and 3.16 earned run average. During WCC play Dayton became the Bulldogs ace finishing WCC play with a 5-3 record and 2.29 earned run average.

Rodland earned first team All-WCC honors after being named a second team selection last season. This year the junior second baseman hit .345 with 10 doubles. He increased that battting average in WCC play finished with a team best .364 average in 29 WCC contests.

Richardson earned secodn team honors for the second consecutive season after finishing second on the team with 16 home runs and 40 RBI. Richardson was named a second team selection at the designated hitter position after being named a second-team catcher last season.

Munhall makes his first appearance on the All-WCC list as the senior catcher was named an honorable mention selection. Munhall hit .306 and led the Bulldogs with nine stolen bases.

Zurmely was also named an honorable mention selection as the junior shortstop hit .301 for the season. During West Coast Conference play Zurmely finished second on the team with a .357 average.

San Diego's Ricky Barrett was named the WCC Pitcher of the Year while Loyola Marymount's Sean Smith was tabbed as Freshman of the Year. San Diego head coach Rich Hill was named the WCC Coach of the Year after guiding the Toreros to the WCC West Division title and an appearance in the WCC Championship series.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR:Nate Gold, Gonzaga
PITCHER OF THE YEAR:Ricky Barrett, San Diego
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:Sean Smith, Loyola Marymount
COACH OF THE YEAR:Rich Hill, San Diego
FIRST TEAM        SCHOOL             POS  YR  HOMETOWN    Ricky Barrett**         San Diego       P   JR  W. Sacramento, CASteve Chamberlain   Portland        P   SR  Pullman, WABrent Dayton         Gonzaga             P   SR  Missoula, MTNate Gold #     Gonzaga             1B  SR  Centerville, UTEric Rodland         Gonzaga             2B  JR  Snohomish, WASteve Booth     San Francisco           C   SR  San Jose, CASean Smith      Loyola Marymount    2B  FR  Los Angeles, CAMark Teahen#            Saint Mary's            3B  JR  Yucaipa, CABilly Lockin            Loyola Marymount    SS  SO  Thousand Oaks, CAJoey Gomes      Santa Clara     OF  SR  Petaluma, CAJoe Jacobitz            San Francisco           OF  SO  San Francisco, CAEd Montague     Pepperdine      OF  JR  San Mateo, CATom Caple**             San Diego       UT  JR  San Diego, CADavid Bagley            San Diego       DH  SO  Poway, CA
*Times an All-WCC First Team Pick       #Unanimous choice

SECOND TEAMBrandon Boesch          Pepperdine      P   SO  Las Vegas, NVEric Hull       Portland        P   SR  Selah, WADerek Mills     Pepperdine      P   JR  Fresno, CARock Mills      Pepperdine      C   SR  Westlake, OHTommy Perez     Loyola Marymount    1B  SR  Burbank, CACory Lunde*     Portland        3B  SR  Vancouver, WABrett Wayne     Saint Mary's            SS  SR  Simi Valley, CAJoe Frazee      Loyola Marymount    OF  FR  Carlsbad, CAJoe Lima        San Diego       OF  SR  San Diego, CAJason Waugh     Saint Mary's            OF  JR  Bakersfield, CARoyce Fukuroku          San Francisco           UT  FR  Wailuku, HIKevin Richardson Gonzaga             DH  SR  Bellingham, WA
HONORABLE MENTIONGONZAGA:        Brian Munhall, Grant ZurmelyLoyola Marymount:   Vincent Cordova, Johnathan HigashiPEPPERDINE:             Cory Brightwell, Duke Sardinha, Ty HarperPORTLAND:       Travis Hanson, Matt Allen, Trevor Hahn, Kory CastoSAINT MARY'S:           Brian Houle, Mike ByerSAN DIEGO:      Tony Perez, Mike McCoy, S.C. AssaelSAN FRANCISCO:      Cy DonaldSANTA CLARA:            Jimmy Wallace, Matt Travis