March 4, 2008

SAN BRUNO, Calif. - For the eighth straight season a Gonzaga University player has been honored as the West Coast Conference Player of the Year as junior guard Jeremy Pargo was the choice of the coaches this season.

Derek Raivio shared the honor last season, while Adam Morrison ('06), Ronny Turiaf ('05), Blake Stepp ('04, '03), Dan Dickau ('02) and Casey Calvary ('01) helped keep the honor in Spokane. Pargo's selection marks the 11th time a Bulldog has been honored with the league's top award, John Stockton the first in 1984. Jeff Brown (1994) and Bakari Hendrix (1998) also captured the award.

Sophomore guard Matt Bouldin, senior forward David Pendergraft and Pargo were also named to the All-Conference team, while freshman guard Austin Daye was accorded honorable mention accolades.

Daye was also named to the All-Freshman team where he was joined by teammate Steven Gray.

Bulldog head coach Mark Few received his seventh Coach of the Year award in nine years as head coach, sharing the honor this season with Randy Bennett of Saint Mary's College. The Bulldogs and Gaels went into the next-to-last game of the season tied for first at 12-1, Gonzaga prevailing in the showdown for first. Few's string of six straight Coach of the Year awards was snapped last season by retiring SCU coach Dick Davey. Few has won the award more than any other WCC coach.

Freshman Patrick Mills of Saint Mary's was named the Newcomer of the Year and Diamon Simpson of the Gaels was named the Defensive Player of the Year.

Pargo averaged 11.8 ppg overall, but it was the other facets of his game that often times made life rough for the opposition. He paced the conference in assists at 6.23 overall and 6.50 in WCC action, he was eighth overall in steals with 1.47 and fourth in WCC games at 2.07 and posted a 1.91 assist/turnover ration in all games and 2.28 in WCC contests.

Bouldin was ninth in the WCC in scoring at 13.1 ppg and in 3-point field goal percentage at 38.3 percent (46-for-120). Pendergraft was seventh overall in field goal percentage (50.3 percent) and a hot 55.4 percent in WCC games. He also hit 52.4 percent of his treys in WCC play, going 22-for-42.

Daye paced the WCC in free throw percentage at 89.6 percent (86-for-96) and was 15th in scoring (11.0 ppg). Gray was fourth in WCC play in 3-point field goal percentage, connecting on 21-of-38 for 43.8 percent.

2008 ALL-WEST COAST CONFERENCE TEAM

Brody Angley, G, 5-11, 195, Sr., Santa ClaraMatt Bouldin, G, 6-5, 214, So., GONZAGAJohn Bryant, C, 6-10, 305, Jr., Santa ClaraBrandon Johnson, G, 6-0, 195, Jr., San DiegoDior Lowhorn, F, 6-7, 230, So., San FranciscoPatrick Mills, G, 6-0, 175, Fr., Saint Mary'sJeremy Pargo, G, 6-2, 219, Jr., GONZAGADavid Pendergraft, F, 6-6, 223, SR., GONZAGAGyno Pomare, F, 6-8, 240, Jr., San DiegoDiamon Simpson, F, 6-7, 230, Jr., Saint Mary's

CO-COACH OF THE YEARMark Few, GONZAGARandy Bennett, Saint Mary's

PLAYER OF THE YEARJeremy Pargo, GONZAGA

DEFENDER OF THE YEARDiamon Simpson, Saint Mary's

NEWCOMER OF THE YEARPatrick Mills, Saint Mary's

HONORABLE MENTIONAustin Daye, GONZAGAOmar Samhan, Saint Mary'sMalcolm Thomas, Pepperdine

ALL-FRESHMAN TEAMAustin Daye, G, 6-10, GONZAGASteven Gray, G, 6-4, GONZAGARob Jones, F, 6-6, San DiegoPatrick Mills, G, 6-0, Saint Mary'sMalcolm Thomas, F, 6-8, Pepperdine