Cummard and Fredette Named USBWA All-District

ST. LOUIS -- With a third-straight Mountain West Conference regular season title in the books, BYU’s Lee Cummard and Jimmer Fredette were named all-district on Tuesday by the United States Basketball Writers Association.

BYU is a member of District VIII, which includes all NCAA Division I institutions from Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada and Montana. Nine regions are represented from coast to coast and a player and coach of the year are selected in each.

Cummard, a 6-foot-7 senior guard, is a repeat USBWA all-district honoree. This season the Mesa, Ariz., native has been named first-team all-MWC, first-team all-district by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and fourth-team all-America by FOXSports.com.

In leading BYU to its third-straight MWC title, Cummard averages a team-high 17.1 points per game and is second on the team in rebounding (6.3 per game). He also leads the team in free throw shooting (.857) and blocks (27) and is second in assists (3.2). Cummard has posted double figures in 26 games, 20-plus points in 10 games and 30-plus twice. He has tallied season highs of 36 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks.

Fredette, a 6-foot-2 sophomore, received first-team all-MWC recognition after averaging 16.0 points (third on the team) and a team-high 4.3 assists per game. The Glens Falls, N.Y., native is second on the team with 43 steals and a .850 free throw percentage. He shoots .488 from the field and .380 from downtown while averaging 3.0 rebounds per game.

Fredette has scored in double figures 26 times and posted 20-plus points seven times. He has posted season highs of 28 points, 10 assists and five steals.

Joining Cummard and Fredette on the District VIII Team are fellow-MWC members Tony Dandridge of New Mexico, Wyoming’s Brandon Ewing and district player of the year Luke Nevill of Utah. Luke Babbitt of Nevada, Cory Higgins of Colorado, Mac Hopson of Idaho, Anthony Johnson of Montana and Gary Wilkinson of Utah State round out the team. Utah State’s Stew Morrill received coach of the year honors.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. Today, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball.

With the selection of Cummard and Fredette, BYU has had eight USBWA all-district honorees in the last seven years. Cummard and Trent Plaisted earned honors in 2008 while former Cougar forward Keena Young was honored in 2007. Plaisted was also selected in 2006, former center Rafael Araujo was honored in 2004 and former Cougar swingman Travis Hansen was named to the team in 2003.