Arizona Daily Wildcat advertising info
UA news
world news
sports
arts
perspectives
comics
crossword
cat calls
police beat
photo features
special reports
classifieds
archives
search
advertising

UA Basketball
Housing Guide - Spring 2002
restaurant, bar and party guide
FEEDBACK
Write a letter to the Editor

Contact the Daily Wildcat staff

Send feedback to the web designers


AZ STUDENT MEDIA
Arizona Student Media info...

Daily Wildcat staff alumni...

TV3 - student tv...

KAMP - student radio...

Wildcat Online Banner

Four Wildcats claim Pac-10 honors at awards banquet

By Connor Doyle & Jeff Lund
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Thursday Mar. 7, 2002

Stoudamire named Freshman of the Year

LOS ANGELES - Lute Olson has said repeatedly how surprised he is with his team's success this year.

When the All-Pac-10 honors were announced last night in Los Angeles, he was probably a little less surprised.

After the UA head coach said during a press conference earlier in the day that Salim Stoudamire deserved to be the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year, the guard took home the honor at the Pac-10 Awards Banquet on the eve of the conference tournament.

Joining Stoudamire in being honored was fellow freshman Channing Frye and juniors Jason Gardner and Luke Walton.

Stoudamire, who led the conference in free-throw percentage, is the first Wildcat to win the award since Michael Wright in 1999. The freshman averaged 12.9 points per game and 44 percent shooting from 3-point range.

"I was surprised. I didn't think I was going to get it. (My teammates) guided me throughout the year. They were looking for me, I just took advantage of the opportunities," Stoudamire said.

During his press conference, before the voting was announced, Olson said he thought Stoudamire was far and away the top candidate.

"I can't see how (Stoudamire) would not be (Pac-10 Freshman of the Year). You take a look at his numbers, and the other thing that probably isn't as evident is that he was selected by his teammates as our defensive player of the year. He doesn't turn the ball over a whole lot. He's hit big shots. I can't vote for my own player, but I certainly feel that he should be the favorite," Olson said.

Fellow freshman Channing Frye joined Stoudamire on the All-Freshman team after starting 20 of Arizona's 28 games this season and averaging 9.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game.

Both Gardner and Walton were named to the All-Pac-10 team, continuing a trend of postseason honors for the junior point guard. Earlier in the week, Gardner was named third-team All-American and a finalist for both the Naismith and Wooden Awards.

Gardner was second in the conference with a 20.6 points per game average, first in 3-pointers made, fifth in assists and fifth in steals.

For Walton, the honor was the first of his career.

The junior from San Diego had a breakout year, leading the conference in assists from the forward position and finishing in the top 12 in three other categories.

"I feel great. There are a lot of people in this conference that could have made it. To make the All-Pac-10, that's as high as you can get," Walton said.

Oregon's Ernie Kent took home Coach of the Year honors for the first time in his career with the Ducks after leading his team to its first conference title in more than 60 years.

The four total players on both teams gave Arizona the most in the conference, a fact not lost on Gardner.

"It shows you what type of program Coach O has," he said.

ARTICLES

advertising info

UA NEWS | WORLD NEWS | SPORTS | ARTS | PERSPECTIVES | COMICS
CLASSIFIEDS | ARCHIVES | CONTACT US | SEARCH
Webmaster - webmaster@wildcat.arizona.edu
© Copyright 2001 - The Arizona Daily Wildcat - Arizona Student Media