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DENVER -The Western Athletic Conference announced its men's basketball preseason poll and all-WAC teams as voted on by the nine head coaches in the league. Nevada was picked to win the WAC while the Wolf Pack's Nick Fazekas was selected the WAC's preseason player of the year for the second straight season.
Nevada received seven first-place votes and 63 points to be picked first. The Wolf Pack was 27-6 last season (13-3 in the WAC), and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third year in a row. New Mexico State received the other two first-place votes and placed second with 57 points. Fresno State recevied 49 points for third followed by Utah State with 41 points. The Aggies were also an NCAA Tournament participant last season. Hawai‘i was picked fifth with 40 points followed by Boise State (29), Louisiana Tech (19), San Jose State (16) and Idaho (10).
The coaches also voted on a first and second all-WAC team. Nevada senior forward Nick Fazekas was voted the preseason Player of the Year after earning the WAC Player of the Year award the past two seasons. He is joined on the first team by New Mexico State senior guard/forward Quinton Hosley, New Mexico State junior forward Tyrone Nelson, Boise State senior guard Coby Karl and Utah State junior guard Jaycee Carroll. Fazekas led the WAC in scoring for the second straight season with 21.8 points last year and also averaged 10.4 rebounds per game. Hosley was third in the WAC and led the Bulldogs in scoring with 18.6 points per game. Nelson led the Aggies in scoring with 17.8 points per game. Karl led his team in scoring (17.2 ppg) and assists (4.0 apg). Carroll averaged 16.3 points per contest at Utah State. Fazekas and Nelson were named to the all-WAC first team last year, while Hosley, Karl and Carroll earned second team honors.
The preseason second team is comprised of Fresno State's Ja'Vance Coleman, New Mexico State's Elijah Ingram, Nevada's Marcelus Kemp and Hawai‘i teammates Ahmet Gueye and Matt Lojeski.
The 2006-07 season begins Friday, Nov. 10. The 2007 WAC Tournament will be held in Las Cruces, New Mexico at the Pan American Center, March 6-10.
2006-07 Preseason Men's Basketball Coaches Poll Rank Team (1st place votes) Points
- Nevada (7) 63
- New Mexico State (2) 57
- Fresno State 49
- Utah State 41
- Hawai‘i 40
- Boise State 29
- Louisiana Tech 19
- San Jose State 16
- Idaho 10
Note: Coaches could not vote for their own team or players
Preseason All-WAC Teams First-Team Nick Fazekas, Sr., F, Nevada Quinton Hosley, Sr., G/F, Fresno State Tyrone Nelson, Jr., F, New Mexico State Coby Karl, Sr., G, Boise State Jaycee Carroll, Jr., G, Utah State
Second-Team Ja'Vance Coleman, Sr., G, Fresno State Elijah Ingram, Sr., G, New Mexico State Marcelus Kemp, Jr., G, Nevada Ahmet Gueye, Sr., F, Hawai‘i Matt Lojeski, Sr., G, Hawai‘i
Player of the Year: Nick Fazekas, Nevada
