Friday, June 10, 2016

PORTLAND, Ore. – The term “All-American” has become synonymous with Western Oregon men’s basketball standout Andy Avgi.

The senior was named a preseason All-American twice and a postseason All-American by four different organizations. It seems only fitting, then, that Avgi was voted by the conference athletic directors as the 2015-16 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Male Athlete of the Year.

The 6-foot-6, 260-pound forward was a four-year player for the Wolves and finished his career leading one of the best teams in program history. Avgi was the leading scorer for a Western Oregon program that finished with a school-record 31 wins and advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight for the first time in program history. It was the first time that a Western Oregon program had advanced to a national semifinal in either their NCAA or NAIA era.

Avgi paced the Wolves’ offense every step of the way. He finished second in the GNAC in scoring, averaging 19.4 points per game, and finished sixth with a .522 field goal percentage. On the defensive end, Avgi ranked fourth in the league in blocked shots, averaging 1.3 blocks per game. For his career, Avgi finished with 1,749 points, which is third best in WOU history and 12th best in GNAC history.

The 2014-15 GNAC Player of the Year, Avgi was on the national radar from the start as he was named a preseason All-American by both The Sporting News and Division II Bulletin in addition to being named by conference coaches as the GNAC Preseason Player of the Year. By season’s end, Avgi not only became the third player in conference history as a two-time GNAC Player of the Year, but also was named the Division II Collegiate Commissioners Association (D2CCA) West Region Men’s Basketball Player of the Year.

Then came the All-American honors. Avgi was named a first team All-American by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and Division II Bulletin, a second team selection by Basketball Times and a third team All-American by the D2CCA.

If the basketball success wasn’t enough, Avgi went out for the Western Oregon football team for the first time in 2015. Proving his versatility as an athlete, Avgi earned First Team All-GNAC honors as a tight end. He caught 12 passes over the course of the season for 192 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 24 receiving yards per game.

Avgi is the third Western Oregon athlete to earn the GNAC Male Athlete of the Year, joining two-sport standout Mike Hinshaw (football/track and field, 2001-02) and Grady Wood (baseball, 2011-12).

Other nominees for the 2015-16 award included Tyler Davis of Northwest Nazarene (baseball), Alex Donigian of Western Washington (track and field), Ja’Quan Gardner of Humboldt State (football), Jordan Herdman of Simon Fraser (football), Josh Koch of Concordia (track and field), Robert Peterson of Montana State Billings (cross country/track and field), Mikel Smith of Saint Martin’s (track and field), Cody Thomas of Alaska Anchorage (track and field), Travante Williams of Alaska (basketball) and Jesse Zalk of Central Washington (football).

GNAC MALE ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
2015-16: Andy Avgi, Western Oregon (Football/Basketball)
2014-15: Brody Miller, Montana State Billings (Baseball)
2013-14: David Downs, Seattle Pacific (Basketball)
2012-13: John Allen, Western Washington (Basketball) & Micah Chelimo, Alaska Anchorage (Track and Field)
2011-12: Grady Wood, Western Oregon (Baseball)
2010-11: Ryan Brown, Western Washington (Track and Field)
2009-10: Johnny Spevak, Central Washington (Football)
2008-09: Mike Reilly, Central Washington (Football)
2007-08: David Registe, Alaska Anchorage (Track and Field)
2006-07: Dustin Bremerman, Seattle Pacific (Basketball)
2005-06: Chris Randolph, Seattle Pacific (Track and Field) & Grant Dykstra, Western Washington (Basketball)
2004-05: Chris Randolph, Seattle Pacific (Track and Field) & Bobby McAlister, Seattle (Soccer)
2003-04: Austin Nichols, Humboldt State (Basketball)
2002-03: Fred Hooks, Humboldt State (Basketball)
2001-02: Mike Hinshaw, Western Oregon (Football/Track and Field)