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LOGAN, Utah -Nate Harris became the first player in Utah State history to earn first-team all-conference honors three straight years as he was named a first-team all-Western Athletic Conference selection by the league's coaches on Sunday. Harris was also a first-team all-league pick as both a sophomore and junior in the Big West Conference.
Harris was not the only Aggie recognized by the league as Jaycee Carroll earned second-team all-WAC honors. Carroll was also a second-team all-Big West selection last year along with being named the conference's Freshman of the Year in 2005.
"One thing we've always talked about is that team success and individual recognition kind of go hand-in-hand," said USU head coach Stew Morrill. "You've got to have good players to have team success, but you've got to have team success for players to be recognized, and it's certainly a credit to our entire team and our program that Nate and Jaycee were honored as all-WAC players."
Utah State has now had 13 first-team all-conference selections over the last seven years, and it is the seventh straight year that USU has had at least one first-team all-league selection. Overall, Utah State has had 25 first-team all-conference selections in the last 28 years as it was a member of the Big West Conference/Pacific Coast Athletic Association for 27 years from 1979-2005 before joining the WAC this season.
Harris, a 6-7 senior forward from Smithfield, Utah, is averaging 17.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game, and is shooting 62.0 percent from the field and 71.9 percent from the free throw line. He ranks first in the WAC and 12th in the nation in field goal percentage, and is sixth in the league in rebounding, sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.64), eighth in scoring, eighth in assists, and ninth in free throw percentage.
"Nate has had as fine of a senior year as anyone could have ever expected or hoped for, and to be a three-time first-team all-conference selection is an unbelievable accomplishment," added Morrill. "That is something that not only has never been done, but may never be done again. Every Aggie should be extremely proud of what Nate Harris has done in his time at Utah State."
Carroll, a 6-2 sophomore guard from Evanston, Wyo., is averaging 16.7 points and 3.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 47.8 percent from the field, 47.6 percent from three-point range, and 81.3 percent from the free throw line. He ranks first in the WAC and third in the country in three-point shooting, and is fifth in the league in field goal percentage and ninth in scoring.
Utah State, the second seed, will travel to Reno, Nev., to meet San Jose State in the first round of the WAC Tournament on Thur., Mar. 9 at 3:30 p.m. (MT). SportsWest and ESPN Full Court will carry the men's quarterfinal and semifinal games, while ESPN2 will broadcast the men's championship game on Sat., Mar. 11 at 7 p.m. (MT).
2005-06 WAC Men's Basketball Postseason Awards
FIRST TEAM Julian Sensley, Hawai`i, F, 6-9, 235, Sr., Kailua, Oahu (Los Angeles CC) Paul Millsap, Louisiana Tech, F, 6-8, 245, Jr., Grambling, La. (Grambling HS) Nick Fazekas, Nevada, F, 6-11, 230, Jr., Arvada, Colo. (Ralston Valley HS) Tyrone Nelson, New Mexico State, F, 6-9, 210, So., Hampstead, Texas (Prairie View A&M) Nate Harris, Utah State, F, 6-7, 225, Sr., Smithfield, Utah (Sky View HS)
SECOND TEAM Coby Karl, Boise State, G, 6-4, 205, Jr., Mequon, Wisc. (Homestead HS) Ja'Vance Coleman, Fresno State, G, 6-3, 215, Jr., Fresno, Calif. (College of the Sequoias) Quinton Hosley, Fresno State, F, 6-6, 210, Jr., Harlem, N.Y. (Lamar CC) Elijah Ingram, New Mexico State, G, 5-11, 190, Jr., East Orange, N.J. (St. John's) Jaycee Carroll, Utah State, G, 6-2, 175, So., Evanston, Wyo. (Evanston HS)
Player of the Year: Nick Fazekas, Nevada Freshman of the Year: Dominic Waters, Hawai`i, G, 6-1, 160, Portland, Ore. (Grant HS) Don Haskins Coach of the Year: Mark Fox, Nevada
ALL-NEWCOMER TEAM Quinton Hosley, Fresno State, F, 6-6, 210, Jr., Harlem, N.Y. (Lamar CC) Ahmet Gueye, Hawaii, F, 6-8, 220, Jr., Dakar, Senegal (Salt Lake CC) Matt Lojeski, Hawaii, G, 6-5, 190, Jr., Racine, Wisc. (East Wyoming College) Elijah Ingram, New Mexico State, G, 5-11, 190, Jr., East Orange, N.J. (St. John's) Tyrone Nelson, New Mexico State, F, 6-9, 210, So., Hampstead, Texas (Prairie View A&M)
ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM Ahmet Gueye, Hawai`i, F, 6-8, 220, Jr., Dakar, Senegal (Salt Lake CC) Tanoris Shepard, Idaho, G, 5-11, 176, Sr., Saginaw, Mich. (Saginaw HS) Daevon Haskins, Louisiana Tech, G, 6-3, 170, Sr., Balitimore, Md. (South Plains JC) Paul Millsap, Louisiana Tech, F, 6-8, 245, Jr., Grambling, La. (Grambling HS) Mo Charlo, Nevada, F, 6-7, 210, Sr., Eureka, Calif. (Diablo Valley College)
