WAC Coaches Select NM State, GCU's Braun as Preseason Favorites
DENVER - NM State is the preseason favorite to win the Western Athletic Conference men's basketball title in 2016-17, while Grand Canyon redshirt junior
Joshua Braun was selected as the WAC Preseason Player of the Year in a vote of the league's eight head coaches, who could not vote for their own team or players.
The Aggies received 45 points and four first-place votes to edge out Grand Canyon for the top spot by one point. The Lopes captured second place with 44 points and three first-place votes, followed by CSU Bakersfield in third with 38 points and the other first-place vote. Utah Valley came in fourth place with 27 points, while Seattle U and UMKC tied for fifth place with 25 points apiece. UT Rio Grande Valley (13) and Chicago State (7) round out the poll.
Braun leads the list of Preseason All-WAC honorees. Joining him on the first team are NM State's
Ian Baker, CSU Bakersfield's
Dedrick Basile, UMKC's
Martez Harrison and Seattle U's
Brendan Westendorf.
Second team selections include
LaVell Boyd (UMKC),
Antonio Green (UT Rio Grande Valley),
Zach Nelson (Utah Valley),
William Powell (Seattle U) and
DeWayne Russell (Grand Canyon).
2016-17 Preseason Men's Basketball Coaches' Poll
| Rank |
Teams (1st-Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1 |
NM State (4) |
45 |
| 2 |
Grand Canyon (3) |
44 |
| 3 |
CSU Bakersfield (1) |
38 |
| 4 |
Utah Valley |
27 |
| T-5. |
Seattle U |
25 |
| T-5. |
UMKC |
25 |
| 7 |
UT Rio Grande Valley |
13 |
| 8 |
Chicago State |
7 |
2016-17 Preseason Men's Basketball Coaches' All-WAC Teams
First Team
Ian Baker, NM State
Dedrick Basile, CSU Bakersfield
Joshua Braun, Grand Canyon
Martez Harrison, UMKC
Brendan Westendorf, Seattle U
Second Team
LaVell Boyd, UMKC
Antonio Green, UT Rio Grande Valley
Zach Nelson, Utah Valley
William Powell, Seattle U
DeWayne Russell, Grand Canyon
Preseason Player of the Year: Joshua Braun, Grand Canyon