Four Cougars Garner All-MWC Accolades

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Mountain West Conference announced its 2009-10 men's basketball awards today. The league's nine men's head coaches, along with a select media panel, picked the all-Conference teams, as well as the coach, player, newcomer, freshman, sixth man and defensive awards.

Junior guard Jimmer Fredette earned first-team honors for the second-straight year while Jackson Emery was named to the All-MWC Second Team and the All-Defensive Team, a repeat honor for the junior. Tyler Haws and Jonathan Tavernari were named to the third team while Tavernari was also named the Sixth Man of the Year. Tavernari was the Freshman of the Year in 2007 and has been named to the third team for three-straight seasons.

New Mexico head coach Steve Alford captured MWC Coach of the Year honors for the second straight year, while New Mexico's Darington Hobson was named both the Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. Additionally, Utah's David Foster garnered Defensive Player of the Year accolades, San Diego State's Kawhi Leonard was chosen as the Freshman of the Year and BYU's Jonathan Tavernari received the Sixth Man of the Year award.

Thirteen student-athletes make their first appearance on the all-Conference list this season, while the remaining two are repeat selections from last season. BYU's Jimmer Fredette is a first-team honoree for the second consecutive year, while Cougar teammate Jonathan Tavernari is a third-team pick for the third straight year.

Alford collected his second MWC coaching honor after guiding the Lobos to their second consecutive and first outright Mountain West regular-season title. New Mexico posted a 14-2 record in Conference play this season, setting a school record for most MWC wins.

Hobson, a 6-7, 205-pound sophomore center, is the first individual to receive both the MWC Player and Newcomer of the Year awards in the same season. The Las Vegas, Nev., product averaged 14.9 points and 4.8 assists per game in Conference play in 2009-10 and was the league's top rebounder in league action, averaging 10.1 boards per game.

Tavernari, a 6-6, 215-pound senior forward, averaged 11.1 points and 4.8 rebounds off the bench for the Cougars in Conference play in 2009-10. In addition to ranking second in 3-point field goal percentage (.452), the native of Sao Bernardo, Brazil, was also among MWC leaders in steals with 27 thefts against league opponents.

Foster, a 7-3, 255-pound sophomore center from Lake Forest, Calif., averaged a league-best 3.7 blocks per game against MWC opponents. He recorded a block in 14 of the 15 Conference games he played in this season, including 12 outings with multiple rejections. Foster's 55 blocks in Conference play ranks third all-time on the league's single-season charts.

Leonard, a 6-6, 210-pound forward from Riverside, Calif., was the league's top freshman scorer and rebounder, ranking fifth and second, respectively, overall with 14.4 points and 9.6 boards in Conference play this season. He scored in double figures in 13 of 16 MWC outings, adding nine double-digit rebounding efforts to finish with an MWC-best nine double-doubles against league opponents.

2009-10 All-Mountain West Conference Men's Basketball Team

(Selected by media and head coaches)

First-Team All-Mountain West

Jimmer Fredette, BYU*, Jr., G, 6-2, 195, Glen Falls, N.Y.

Dairese Gary, New Mexico, Jr., G, 6-1, 205, Elkhart, Ind.

Darington Hobson, New Mexico, Jr., G/F, 6-7, 205, Las Vegas, Nev.

Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State, Fr., F, 6-6, 210, Riverside, Calif.

Tre'Von Willis, UNLV, Jr., G, 6-4, 195, Fresno, Calif.

Second-Team All-Mountain West

Jackson Emery, BYU, Jr., G, 6-3, 185, Alpine, Utah

Andy Ogide, Colorado State, Jr., F, 6-9, 245, Marietta, Ga.

Roman Martinez, New Mexico, Sr., F, 6-6, 185, El Paso, Texas

Malcolm Thomas, San Diego State, Jr., F, 6-9, 220, San Diego, Calif.

Ronnie Moss, TCU, So., G, 6-2, 195, Fort Worth, Texas

Third-Team All-Mountain West

Tyler Haws, BYU, Fr., G, 6-5, 200, Alpine, Utah

Jonathan Tavernari, BYU**, Sr., G/F, 6-6, 215, Sao Bernardo, Brazil

Chace Stanback, UNLV, So., G/F, 6-8, 210, Los Angeles, Calif.

Carlon Brown, Utah, Jr., G, 6-5, 205, Riverside, Calif.

Desmar Jackson, Wyoming, Fr., G, 6-5, 190, Warren, Ohio

*Indicates number of previous all-Conference selections

All-Defensive Team

Jackson Emery, BYU, Jr., G, 6-3, 185, Alpine, Utah

Dairese Gary, New Mexico, Jr., G, 6-1, 205, Elkhart, Ind.

Chace Stanback, UNLV, So., G/F, 6-8, 210, Los Angeles, Calif.

Tre'Von Willis, UNLV, Jr., G, 6-4, 195, Fresno, Calif.

David Foster, Utah, So., C, 7-3, 255, Lake Forest, Calif.

Honorable Mention All-Mountain West

Evan Washington, Jr., G, 6-4, 195, Air Force

Phillip McDonald, So., G, 6-5, 200, New Mexico

D.J. Gay, Jr., G, 6-0, 155, San Diego State

Billy White, Jr., F, 6-8, 226, San Diego State

Zvonko Buljan, Sr., F/C, 6-9, 220, TCU

Oscar Bellfield, So., G, 6-2, 185, UNLV

Luka Drca, Sr., G, 6-5, 205, Utah

Marshall Henderson, Fr., G, 6-2, 175, Utah

Individual Honors

Player of the Year: Darington Hobson, New Mexico

Defensive Player of the Year: David Foster, Utah

Newcomer of the Year: Darington Hobson, New Mexico

Freshman of the Year: Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State

Sixth Man of the Year: Jonathan Tavernari, BYU

Coach of the Year: Steve Alford, New Mexico

BYU's All-Conference Honorees

Jimmer Fredette — All-MWC First Team

-A repeat first-team honoree

-Led BYU to an 13-3 record in MWC action

-Is ranked in the top 10 in seven MWC statistical categories including: 2nd in scoring (19.7), 1st in three-point field goal percentage (.494), 2nd in threes per game (2.4), 5th in assist/turnover ratio (1.8), T6th in assists (3.9), 5th in free throw percentage (.840), 10th in field goal percentage (.432)

-Leads the Cougars in scoring (19.7), assists (3.9), free throws made (84) and attempted (100), three-pointers made (39) and attempted (79), three-point percentage (.494) and minutes played (29.2)

-As point guard has helped BYU lead the MWC in scoring, scoring margin, turnover margin, free throw percentage and three-point field goal percentage and second in assist/turnover ratio and owns the top-four scoring games (107 at TCU, 92 at CSU, 91 vs. CSU and 91 vs. Air Force)

-Two-time MWC Player of the Week on Feb. 1 (31.5 ppg, 4.5 apg at New Mexico and vs. Utah) and Feb. 22 (29.0 ppg and 5.0 apg at Colorado State and at Wyoming)

-Owns the two highest-scoring games by a single player in the conference, scoring 36 points against Utah and Colorado State, respectively

-Has hit at least one three in 14 conference games, including four or more threes in six games

-Has scored 20-plus points nine times and 30-plus points three times and has posted four or more assists in nine games

-Against rival Utah, scored 36 points, shooting 11-of-23 from the field, 4-of-5 from three and 10-of-12 from the free throw line while adding 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal

-Scored 36 points at Colorado State, converting 6-of-10 threes and shooting 12-of-22 with six assists, five rebounds and one steal

-Has eight games with perfect free throw percentage and two games with double-digit free throws made (10-of-12 against Utah, 11-of-13 at UNLV)

Jackson Emery — All-MWC Second Team All-Defensive Team

-A repeat All-Defensive Team honoree

-Started all 16 conference games and helped BYU to an 13-3 conference record

-Is in the top 15 in five statistical categories, including: 1st in steals (2.9), 7th in field goal percentage (.450), 6th in three-point field goals made (2.1), T11th in scoring (12.3), T15th in rebounding (4.6)

-Had the most steals by a player in a conference game with six against Utah while adding five vs. San Diego State, five vs. New Mexico and five at TCU

-Has posted two or more steals in 11 conference games and at least one steal in every conference game

-Averaging 12.3 points (3rd on the team), 4.6 rebounds (3rd on the team), 2.6 assists (2nd on the team) and 2.9 steals (1st on the team) while shooting .450 from the field in MWC games

-Regularly assigned to guard the top perimeter player for the opposing team

-Has scored in double figures in 11 games, including the last nine

-Has helped establish BYU as one of the top defensive teams in the conference as the Cougars lead in scoring margin (+15.4), turnover margin (+4.8) and defensive rebounds (27.8) and are second in field goal percentage defense (.411) and defensive rebound percentage (.741), third in three-point field goal percentage defense (.327) and fifth in scoring defense (65.8)

-Has hit at least one three in all but one conference game, including four threes vs. TCU and Air Force and five at Air Force and at TCU (5-of-6 for best single-game percentage in the MWC)

-A primary reason BYU forces 15.1 turnovers per game

Jonathan Tavernari — All-MWC Third Team Sixth Man of the Year

-A three-time All-MWC Third Team honoree, MWC Freshman of the Year in 2007

-Has helped lead BYU to an 13-3 record in MWC action

-Is in the top 17 in sixth statistical categories, including: 3rd in steals (1.7), 2nd in three-point field goal percentage (.452), 8th in defensive rebounds (4.3), 7th in threes per game (2.1), 14th in rebounding (4.8), 17th in scoring (11.1)

-Tied for the second highest percentage from the 3-point line in a game, shooting 5-of-7 (.714) against Air Force

-Named MWC Player of the Week (Jan. 11) for his performance vs. UNLV when he had 17 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal and helped BYU start the conference season with a 77-73 win

-Had 14 points and four steals in 19 minutes vs. Colorado State

-Posted 17 points and hit 3-of-5 threes at New Mexico

-Had 19 points, five rebounds, three steals and hit 5-of-7 threes vs. Air Force

-Had 13 points and four steals at Colorado State

-Had 17 points, eight rebounds and two steals at Wyoming

-Posted a season-best 23 points, four rebounds and three steals while hitting 5-of-8 from three at TCU

-Has recorded at least one steal in 14 games and at least two steals in seven games

-Averages 11.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.7 steals and shoots .459 from the field, .452 from three and .815 from the free throw line in MWC play

Tyler Haws — All-MWC Third Team

-Has started all 16 games for BYU, helping the Cougars to an 13-3 record

-Leads the MWC in free throw percentage (.927) and is 15th in scoring (11.2)

-Tied for the best performance among MWC players from the free throw line, shooting 10-of-10 (1.000) at Wyoming

-Third on the team in scoring (11.2), is fourth on the team in rebounding (4.0), third in assists (1.8) and third with 13 steals

-Has scored in double figures in 10 MWC games

-Has made 32-consecutive free throws

-Scored a career-best 24 points to go with six rebounds and a block at home against Wyoming

-Scored 17 points at San Diego State

-Had 15 points and seven rebounds in a home win against Utah

-Had 16 points and a career-best four steals against Air Force at home

-Scored 22 points, hit 10-of-10 from the free throw line and added eight rebounds at Wyoming

-Against San Diego State hit all eight free throw attempts, had 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals