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News releaseLOGAN, Utah - Veteran Utah State men's basketball coach Stew Morrill continued to be recognized nationally this year and was named the District VIII Coach of the Year by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) on Tuesday. Gary Wilkinson was also honored by the organization as the senior forward was one of 10 players named to the all-district team.
District VIII is made up of teams from the states of Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. There are nine regions from coast to coast and a player and coach of the year were selected from each.
It is the first time Morrill has been named District Coach of the Year by the USBWA. He was also named the Western Athletic Conference Coach of the Year this week after leading Utah State to a 27-4 record, including a first-place conference finish with a 14-2 league mark. All-time, it is Morrill's fourth conference coach of the year honor as he is 264-90 (.746) in 11 seasons at USU and 482-228 (.679) in 23 years as a collegiate head coach.
Wilkinson, who was named the WAC's Player of the Year earlier this week, currently ranks second in the conference in scoring with 16.9 points and sixth in rebounding with 7.1 boards per game. He also ranks third in both field goal (.591) and free throw shooting (.836).
Joining Wilkinson on the all-district team are Luke Babbitt (Nevada), Lee Cummard (BYU), Tony Dandridge (New Mexico), Brandon Ewing (Wyoming), Jimmer Fredette (BYU), Cory Higgins (Colorado), Mac Hopson (Idaho), Anthony Johnson (Montana), and Luke Nevill (Utah) who was named the District VIII Player of the Year.
Wilkinson was also recently named a first-team All-District 6 selection by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
Utah State opens play in the 2009 WAC Tournament on Thursday, March 13 when it faces No. 9 Fresno State (13-20) at 3:30 p.m. (MT) at the Lawlor Events Center on the University of Nevada campus in Reno.
