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ATLANTA (April 5, 2013 – http://www.gozags.com) – Gonzaga University junior Kelly Olynyk was named to the John R. Wooden Top Five All-America team Friday.
The John R. Wooden Award® presented by Wendy’s®, was presented by Coach John Wooden’s grandson, Greg, on behalf of the Los Angeles Athletic Club, to University of Michigan sophomore guard Trey Burke. Greg Wooden appeared on ESPN SportsCenter and presented Burke with the Wooden Award Trophy whose unique design was inspired by Coach Wooden’s idea of the “total basketball player.” The 37th Annual Wooden Award Gala presented by Wendy’s, honoring Burke and the men’s and women’s Wooden All American Teams, will take place April 12 at the Los Angeles Athletic Club.
Olynyk becomes the third Bulldog to receive Wooden Award Top Five All-America recognition, joining Dan Dickau in 2002 and Adam Morrison in 2006.
Voters include hundreds of national college basketball media who selected and ranked 10 players. In the closest voting since Duke University’s J.J. Redick finished 72 points ahead of Morrison in 2006, Burke had 2,808 points, just ahead of second-place finisher Victor Oladipo of Indiana (2,718). Returning Wooden All American Doug McDermott of Creighton was third (2,344) followed by Otto Porter, Jr. of Georgetown (2,144) and Olynyk (2,079).
Olynyk, who redshirted last season, was named the West Coast Conference Player of the Year. He averaged 17.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.7 assists/game and 1.1 blocks/game in helping Gonzaga to a 32-3 overall record, a 16-0 WCC mark, the WCC Tournament title and a 15th straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.
After a stellar sophomore year in which he has averaged 18.8 points and 6.8 assists (No. 12 in the nation) while helping lead the Wolverines to the Final Four for the first time since 1993, Burke was also the 2013 Big Ten Conference Player of the Year.
The rest of the Wooden All American team, announced last week, from places six through 10, include University of Miami’s Shane Larkin, Indiana University’s Cody Zeller, Duke’s Mason Plumlee, Ohio State University’s DeShaun Thomas and the University of Kansas’ Ben McLemore.
All players proved that they are making progress toward graduation and are maintaining at least a cumulative 2.0 GPA. Olynyk graduated in December with a 3.53 GPA in accounting and is currently enrolled in the MBA program at Gonzaga.
Oliver Pierce, SID
Gonzaga University
502 E Boone
Spokane, Wash. 99258
The John R. Wooden Award® presented by Wendy’s®, was presented by Coach John Wooden’s grandson, Greg, on behalf of the Los Angeles Athletic Club, to University of Michigan sophomore guard Trey Burke. Greg Wooden appeared on ESPN SportsCenter and presented Burke with the Wooden Award Trophy whose unique design was inspired by Coach Wooden’s idea of the “total basketball player.” The 37th Annual Wooden Award Gala presented by Wendy’s, honoring Burke and the men’s and women’s Wooden All American Teams, will take place April 12 at the Los Angeles Athletic Club.
Olynyk becomes the third Bulldog to receive Wooden Award Top Five All-America recognition, joining Dan Dickau in 2002 and Adam Morrison in 2006.
Voters include hundreds of national college basketball media who selected and ranked 10 players. In the closest voting since Duke University’s J.J. Redick finished 72 points ahead of Morrison in 2006, Burke had 2,808 points, just ahead of second-place finisher Victor Oladipo of Indiana (2,718). Returning Wooden All American Doug McDermott of Creighton was third (2,344) followed by Otto Porter, Jr. of Georgetown (2,144) and Olynyk (2,079).
Olynyk, who redshirted last season, was named the West Coast Conference Player of the Year. He averaged 17.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.7 assists/game and 1.1 blocks/game in helping Gonzaga to a 32-3 overall record, a 16-0 WCC mark, the WCC Tournament title and a 15th straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.
After a stellar sophomore year in which he has averaged 18.8 points and 6.8 assists (No. 12 in the nation) while helping lead the Wolverines to the Final Four for the first time since 1993, Burke was also the 2013 Big Ten Conference Player of the Year.
The rest of the Wooden All American team, announced last week, from places six through 10, include University of Miami’s Shane Larkin, Indiana University’s Cody Zeller, Duke’s Mason Plumlee, Ohio State University’s DeShaun Thomas and the University of Kansas’ Ben McLemore.
All players proved that they are making progress toward graduation and are maintaining at least a cumulative 2.0 GPA. Olynyk graduated in December with a 3.53 GPA in accounting and is currently enrolled in the MBA program at Gonzaga.
Oliver Pierce, SID
Gonzaga University
502 E Boone
Spokane, Wash. 99258
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