Monday, March 3, 2014

PORTLAND, Ore. – Seattle Pacific guard David Downs has been voted the 2013-14 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Year.

Downs received eight of 10 first-place votes for the Player of the Year award and was also the lone unanimous selection to the all-conference team, being listed among the top six players on all nine opposing coaches’ ballots.

He also was selected to the first team for the third year in a row joining a select group of basketball players – Humboldt State’s Fred Hooks (2002-04) and Austin Nichols (2002-04) and Jake Linton of Saint Martin’s (2007-09) – to accomplish that feat.

Downs led the Falcons to a 24-5 record this winter and the GNAC regular-season title.  He finished the regular-season ranked third in the conference in scoring (20.1), fourth in assists (4.7) and second in three-point field goal percentage (47.5).

Downs ranks 11th in GNAC history in career scoring (1,715 points), ninth in three-pointers made (238) and fourth in assists (548).

Seattle Pacific coach Ryan Looney earned his second GNAC Coach of the Year award.  Looney, who is a 1998 graduate of Eastern Oregon, also won the award in 2010.  Looney is in his fifth season at Seattle Pacific and has a record of 116-33.  His overall collegiate head coaching record in 10 seasons is 211-88.

Also winning special awards were forwards Andrew Kelly of Alaska Fairbanks and Jonathan Mesghna of Montana State Billings and guard Michael Loomis of Northwest Nazarene.

Kelly, who ranks second in the conference in rebounding (8.8), ninth in steals (1.4) and 11th in blocks (0.8), was voted the GNAC Defensive Player of Year.  Kelly also averages 12.7 points per game.

Mesghna was selected the GNAC Newcomer of the Year.  A transfer from the University of Maine, Mesghna ranks 12th in the GNAC in scoring (15.2) and 13th in rebounding (5.8).

Loomis was voted the GNAC Freshman of the Year.  He finished his first season as the GNAC’s top free throw shooter, converting on 90.9 percent (50-of-55) of his attempts.  He also averaged 12.2 points per game this season.

Joining Downs on the first team all-conference team were guard Richard Woodworth of Western Washington, guard Mark McLaughlin of Central Washington, forward Patrick Simon of Seattle Pacific, guard Travis Thompson of Alaska Anchorage and Western Washington forward Austin Bragg.  McLaughlin was a repeater from last year’s first team.

Kelly earned second team honors.  Joining him on the second team were guards Kalob Hatcher of Montana State Billings, Rodney Webster of Western Oregon,  Brian McGill of Alaska Anchorage, Ronnie Baker of Alaska Fairbanks and Sango Niang of Simon Fraser.       

2013-14 GNAC ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

First Team:  **+David Downs, Seattle Pacific (G, 6-2, Sr., Kirkland, WA); Richard Woodworth, Western Washington (G, 6-3, Sr., Bellevue, WA); *Mark McLaughlin, Central Washington (G, 6-6, Sr., Bothell, WA);  Patrick Simon, Seattle Pacific (F, 6-8, Sr., Ephrata, WA); Travis Thompson, Alaska Anchorage (G, 6-1, Jr., Anchorage, AK); Austin Bragg, Western Washington (F, 6-9, Sr., Longview, WA).  +Unanimous  *Repeater

Second Team:  Andrew Kelly, Alaska Fairbanks (F, 6-7, Sr., Gilbert, AZ); Kalob Hatcher, Montana State Billings (G, 5-11, Sr., San Diego, CA); Rodney Webster, Western Oregon (G, 6-1, Sr., Hanford, CA); Brian McGill, Alaska Anchorage (PG, 6-2, So., Clackamas, OR); Ronnie Baker, Alaska Fairbanks (G, 6-3, Sr., Vallejo, CA); Sango Niang, Simon Fraser (G, 6-0, Jr., Paris, France).

Honorable Mention: Kyle Fossman, Alaska Anchorage (G, 6-0, Sr., Haines, AK); Sergej Pucar, Alaska Fairbanks (C, 6-10, Sr., Belgrade, Serbia); JB Pillard, Central Washington (F, 6-6, Sr., Kirkland, WA); Jonathan Mesghna, MSU Billings (G/F, 6-6, Sr., Frankfurt, Germany); Austin Hudson, MSU Billings (C, 6-7, Jr., Salt Lake City, UT); Kevin Rima, Northwest Nazarene (F, 6-7, Jr., Fairbanks, AK);  Mario Donaldson, Northwest Nazarene (G, 6-3, Sr.,  Rockton, IL); Evan Coulter, Saint Martin’s (G, 5-10, Sr., Mt. Vernon, WA); Riley Stockton, Seattle Pacific (G, 6-4, Jr., Spokane, WA); Andy Avgi, Western Oregon (F, 6-6, So., Woodburn, OR).

GNAC Player of the Year – David Downs, Seattle Pacific (G, 6-2, Sr., Kirkland, WA). GNAC Defensive Player of the Year – Andrew Kelly, Alaska Fairbanks (F, 6-7, Sr., Gilbert, AZ). GNAC Newcomer of the Year – Jonathan Mesghna, MSU Billings (G/F, 6-6, Sr., Frankfurt, Germany). GNAC Freshman of the Year – Michael Loomis, Northwest Nazarene (G, 6-6, Fr., Tualatin, OR). GNAC Coach of the Year – Ryan Looney, Seattle Pacific