Feb. 26, 2004 - SAN BRUNO, Calif. - Gonzaga University women's basketball guard Shannon Mathews and men's basketball guards Blake Stepp and Kyle Bankhead have been named to the West Coast Conference All-Academic team as announced by WCC Commissioner Mike Gilleran.
This is the second time that the Bulldogs trio were selected to the all-academic squad, with all three receiving honors in 2003.
Mathews, a junior from Riverside, Calif., has a 3.32 GPA in sports management. Stepp, a senior from Eugene, Ore., who was selected to the College Sports Information Director of America All-District VIII team last week, has a 3.24 GPA in business administration. Bankhead, a senior from Walla Walla, Wash., carries a 3.31 in sports management.
To be considered, a student-athlete must earn at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average, be a starter or important reserve with legitimate athletic credentials, and have sophomore athletic and academic standing.
This women's team was highlighted by San Francisco's Carey Sauer, Loyola Marymount's Kate Murray and Portland's Khalila O'Rielly-Williams, all named to the all-academic team for the third time. O'Rielly-Williams was also named to the Verizon Academic All-District Team.
Portland's Andreas Gahlmann led the men's team with a 3.89 GPA in Bio-chemistry. The Pilots have the most representatives on this year's squad, as Gahlmann is joined by teammates Karl Aaker and Dustin Geddis on the all-academic team.
2004 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-ACADEMIC TEAMName School Class Pos GPA MajorWhitney Grant Portland Sophomore G 3.83 BusinessShandrika Lee Pepperdine Senior G 3.25 Sports MedicineLindsay Lopez Saint Mary's Senior G 3.89 KinesiologyShannon Mathews Gonzaga Junior G 3.32 Sports ManagementKate Murray LMU Graduate F 3.87 BusinessKhalila O'Reilly-Williams Portland Senior F 3.31 Life ScienceMelissa Padgett San Diego Senior F 3.50 HistoryToni Russell San Francisco Junior G 3.68 PsychologyCarey Sauer San Francisco Graduate F 3.90 MathematicsRaelen Self LMU Senior G 3.25 Natrual ScienceKelli Spencer Pepperdine Junior F 3.93 Psychology
2004 MEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-ACADEMIC TEAMName School Class Pos GPA MajorKarl Aaker Portland Junior F 3.01 BusinessKyle Bankhead Gonzaga Graduate G 3.31 Sports ManagementJason Dickens LMU Senior F 3.25 Business Admin.Andreas Gahlmann Portland Junior C 3.89 Bio-chemistryDustin Geddis Portland Senior F 3.33 ManagementJim Howell Santa Clara Senior C 3.07 Business FinanceKeith Jarbo Pepperdine Sophomore G 3.71 Sports MedicineEthan Rodhe Santa Clara Junior G 3.21 FinanceBlake Stepp Gonzaga Senior G 3.24 Business Admin.
