The WAC coach and media polls are out

Here's both the coach's and the media polls for the upcoming basketball season. We'll provide some commentary in a later post.

WAC Preseason Polls Announced
Courtesy: WAC
10/10/2007

Salt Lake City -- The Western Athletic Conference is holding its annual Basketball Preview today in Salt Lake City. All of the men's and women's coaches as well as some of the top players in the league are meeting with media members from around the nation. The WAC also released several preseason polls from both the coaches and media that cover the conference.

AND

Men's Basketball Preseason Coach's Poll Announced

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.

Utah State was picked to win the WAC, while the Aggies' Jaycee Carroll was selected the WAC's preseason player of the year.

Utah State received four first-place votes and 58 points to be picked first in a very close vote. The Aggies were 23-12 last season (9-7 in the WAC), and advanced to the National Invitational Tournament. Utah State has advanced to postseason for eight-straight seasons.

New Mexico State received three first-place votes and placed second with 57 points. Nevada received one first-place vote and 53 points for third followed by Fresno State with the final first-place vote and 46 points. Boise State was picked fifth with 34 points followed by Hawai'i (29), Louisiana Tech (17), San Jose State (17) and Idaho (13). Nevada and New Mexico State were NCAA Tournament participants last season.

The coaches also voted on a first and second all-WAC team. Utah State senior guard Jaycee Carroll was voted the preseason Player of the Year after earning first-team all-WAC honors last season.

He is joined on the first team by New Mexico State junior guard/forward Justin Hawkins, Nevada senior guard Marcelus Kemp, Boise State senior forward Reggie Larry and New Mexico State junior forward Fred Peete.

Carroll led the WAC in scoring last season with 21.3 points and also shot .888 from the free-throw line. Hawkins led the Aggies in scoring, averaging 15.6 points per game. Kemp was third in the WAC in scoring (18.5 ppg) and three-point field goals made (2.47 pg). Peete averaged 9.5 points per contest at New Mexico State, and Larry averaged 14.1 ppg. Carroll, Hawkins and Kemp were named to the all-WAC first team last year, while Larry and Peete were named to the all-Newcomer team.

The preseason second team is comprised of Fresno State's Kevin Bell, Fresno State's Hector Hernandez, Nevada's Demarshay Johnson, Hawai'i's Bobby Nash and Boise State's Matt Nelson.

1. Utah State
2. New Mexico State
3. Nevada
4. Fresno State
5. Boise State
6. Hawai'i
7. Louisiana Tech
8. San Jose State
9. Idaho

Coaches could not vote for their own team or players

Preseason All-WAC Teams

First-Team

Jaycee Carroll, Sr., G, Utah State

Justin Hawkins, Jr., G/F, New Mexico State

Marcelus Kemp, Sr., G, Nevada

Reggie Larry, Sr., F, Boise State

Fred Peete, Jr., G, New Mexico State

Second-Team

Kevin Bell, Sr., G, Fresno State

Hector Hernandez, Sr., F, Fresno State

Demarshay Johnson, Sr., F, Nevada

Bobby Nash, Sr., G, Hawai'i

Matt Nelson, Sr., F, Boise State

Player of the Year: Jaycee Carroll, Utah State

AND

Men's Basketball Preseason Media Poll Announced

DENVER - The 2007-08 Western Athletic Conference men's basketball media poll has picked New Mexico State as this year's favorite. Utah State senior guard Jaycee Carroll and New Mexico State freshman forward Herb Pope were named the preseason Player and Newcomer of the Year, respectively.

New Mexico State received 255 points and 13 first-place votes. Utah State was picked second with 250 points and 10 first-place votes. Nevada garnered 239 points with seven first-place votes for third place followed by Fresno State with 208 points. Boise State was fifth with 175 points followed by Hawai'i (151), Louisiana Tech (104), San Jose State (91) and Idaho (57).

Carroll was picked Player of the Year on 21 of 30 ballots while Pope was selected by 17 media members. Carroll was named first-team all-WAC last season and led the WAC in scoring, averaging 21.3 points per game. Pope is a freshman forward from Aliquippa, Pa., and averaged 19 points per game his senior season at Aliquippa High School.

The all-WAC team included Carrroll, Fresno State senior guard Kevin Bell, New Mexico State junior guard/forward Justin Hawkins, Boise State senior forward Reggie Larry and Nevada senior guard Marcelus Kemp.

The following is the complete 2007-08 WAC men's basketball media poll.

1. New Mexico State
2. Utah State
3. Nevada
4. Fresno State
5. Boise State
6. Hawai'i
7. Louisiana Tech
8. San Jose State
9. Idaho

Preseason All-WAC Team

Kevin Bell, Sr., G, Fresno State

Jaycee Carroll, Sr., G, Utah State

Justin Hawkins, Jr., G/F, New Mexico State

Reggie Larry, Sr, F, Boise State

Marcelus Kemp, Sr., G, Nevada

Preseason Player of the Year: Jaycee Carroll, Sr., G, Utah State

Preseason Newcomer of the Year: Herb Pope, Fr., F, New Mexico State