Grand Canyon Doubles At The Top Of The Preseason 2022-23 WAC Men’s Basketball Coaches’, Media Polls
ARLINGTON, Texas – Grand Canyon earned the top spot in the preseason 2022-23 Western Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Poll and the 2022-23 WAC Men’s Basketball Media Poll that were released on Monday. All 13 WAC head coaches cast votes for the preseason predicted order of finish and all-conference awards, with select media members taking part in the media poll.
Grand Canyon claimed eight first-place votes and 135 voting points to finish ahead of defending WAC tournament champion NM State (three first-place votes, 127 voting points) in the coaches’ poll. Stephen F. Austin (111 points), Abilene Christian (one first-place vote, 101 voting points) and California Baptist (one first-place vote, 96 voting points) rounded out the top five teams in the preseason coaches’ rankings. Grand Canyon led those same five teams in order at the top of the media poll.
Grand Canyon junior guard Jovan Blacksher Jr. was named the 2022-23 WAC Preseason Player of the Year by the coaches and media after landing on the all-conference first team as a sophomore last season. Blacksher averaged 15.6 points and 4.0 assists per game in 17 conference starts for the Lopes in 2021-22.
Blacksher was joined on both preseason all-conference teams by Abilene Christian senior forward Airion Simmons, California Baptist sophomore guard Taran Armstrong, NM State senior guard Xavier Pinson, Seattle U junior guard Cameron Tyson, Stephen F. Austin sophomore guard Jaylin Jackson-Posey and Utah Valley senior guard Trey Woodbury.
2022-23 WAC MEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON HONORS
2022-23 WAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
|
Rank
|
Team (1st-Place Votes)
|
Points
|
|
1.
|
Grand Canyon (8)
|
135
|
|
2.
|
NM State (3)
|
127
|
|
3.
|
Stephen F. Austin
|
111
|
|
4.
|
Abilene Christian (1)
|
101
|
|
5.
|
California Baptist (1)
|
96
|
|
6.
|
Seattle U
|
91
|
|
7.
|
Utah Valley
|
85
|
|
8.
|
Sam Houston
|
79
|
|
9.
|
Southern Utah
|
66
|
|
10.
|
Tarleton
|
47
|
|
11.
|
UT Arlington
|
31
|
|
12.
|
Utah Tech
|
29
|
|
13.
|
UTRGV
|
16
|
2022-23 WAC Coaches’ Preseason Player of the Year: Jovan Blacksher Jr., Jr., G, Grand Canyon
2022-23 Preseason Coaches’ All-WAC First Team
Airion Simmons, Sr., F, Abilene Christian
Taran Armstrong, So., G, California Baptist
Jovan Blacksher Jr., Jr., G, Grand Canyon
Xavier Pinson, Sr., G, NM State
Cameron Tyson, Jr., G, Seattle U
Tevian Jones, Sr., G/F, Southern Utah
Justin Johnson, Sr., F, UTRGV
Trey Woodbury, Sr., G, Utah Valley
2022-23 Preseason Coaches’ All-WAC Second Team
Rayshon Harrison, So., G, Grand Canyon
Gabe McGlothan, Jr., F, Grand Canyon
Javion May, Sr., G, Sam Houston
Riley Grigsby, Sr., G/F, Seattle U
Maizen Fausett, Sr., F, Southern Utah
Sadaidriene Hall, So., F, Stephen F. Austin
Jaylin Jackson-Posey, So., G, Stephen F. Austin
Freddy Hicks, Jr., G/F, Tarleton
2022-23 WAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Media Poll
|
Rank
|
Team
|
|
1.
|
Grand Canyon
|
|
2.
|
NM State
|
|
3.
|
Stephen F. Austin
|
|
4.
|
Abilene Christian
|
|
5.
|
California Baptist
|
|
6.
|
Sam Houston
|
| |
Seattle U
|
|
8.
|
Utah Valley
|
|
9.
|
Southern Utah
|
|
10.
|
UT Arlington
|
|
11.
|
Tarleton
|
|
12.
|
Utah Tech
|
|
13.
|
UTRGV
|
2022-23 WAC Media Preseason Player of the Year: Jovan Blacksher Jr., Jr., G, Grand Canyon
2022-23 Preseason Media All-WAC Team
Airion Simmons, Sr., F, Abilene Christian
Taran Armstrong, So., G, California Baptist
Jovan Blacksher Jr., Jr., G, Grand Canyon
Xavier Pinson, Sr., G, NM State
Deshawndre Washington, Jr., G, NM State
Cameron Tyson, Jr., G, Seattle U
Jaylin Jackson-Posey, So., G, Stephen F. Austin
Trey Woodbury, Sr., G, Utah Valley
- WAC -