The lucky winners get, well Š uh, nothing. Apparently I spent the trophy money on new typewriter ribbons. Now, will someone tell me how you install them into a computer?
I do, however, have a name for these mythical honors. I call them the Hackmans in honor of actor Gene Hackman, who portrayed Coach Norman Dale in “Hoosiers,” the best sports movie this side of “Spartacus.”
Men's Most Valuable Player - The coaches chose Eastern Washington's Rodney Stuckey last year, and if you're talking about the league's outstanding player, there's no one close. Some projections have Stuckey a first-round NBA draft choice if he leaves early, something the Big Sky hasn't seen since Micheal Ray Richardson. But the seventh-place Eagles may not even make the Big Sky tournament. My MVP would be David Patten, the leading scorer and emotional catalyst for Weber State's rise from worst to first. He was playing within 48 hours after having surgery to repair a broken cheekbone on Feb. 1, and has averaged 18.3 points and 6.8 rebounds since then.
Women's Most Valuable Player - This one is easy, since the league's best player happens to play for the league's best team. Montana sophomore Mandy Morales is the only player in the nation to rank in the top 15 in scoring and assists, and is a finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award as the country's top point guard. Junior center Natalie Doma has put up monster numbers for fourth-place Idaho State, but Morales wins the Hackman in a walk.
Men's Newcomer - The Hackman goes to Dupree Lucas of Portland State, a double transfer from Redlands (Calif.) Community College and Xavier. He's had two 30-point games, the only player besides Stuckey with more than one.
Women's Newcomer - Junior college transfers Rebecca Mercer and Krislyn Wallace have transformed Montana State from 3-23 to respectability. They can share the award.
Men's freshman - It's a solid class, but Montana guard Cameron Rundles is tops in scoring and assists among the frosh. He gets the nod over Austin Kilpatrick of Idaho State, Julius Thomas of Portland State and Jefferson Mason of Northern Colorado.
Women's Freshman - Portland State has three worthy candidates in point guard Claire Faucher, and frontliners Janie Bos and Erin Yankus. The Hackman goes to Bos, who leads all frosh in scoring, rebounding and field-goal percentage.
Men's Defender - Call it home-cooking, but we're going with Griz senior Bryan Ellis. His effort against Northern Arizona sharpshooter Stephen Sir (seven points, one trey) in Flagstaff was masterful. As long as we're being homers, let's name Matt Dlouhy runner-up.
Women's Defender - League leaders Shantee Releford of Weber (blocks) and Kelsey Kahle pf PSU (steals) are candidates, and Laura Dinkins of NAU has had her moments. But there isn't a more versatile or intelligent defender than Lady Griz sophomore Britney Lohman, an expert at drawing charging fouls.
Men's Coach - Yes, Montana State was picked eighth out of nine teams in the preseason coaches' poll, and yes, Brad Huse somehow guided them into the Big Sky tournament. It was a stellar first-year effort for the former UM assistant. But the Hackman has to go to another newcomer, Weber's Randy Rahe. He took the Wildcats, with only three returning players, from last in the league to the title.
Women's Coach - The master, Robin Selvig of Montana, and the neophyte, Tricia Binford of Montana State, are both worthy contenders. How about a pay-per-view cage match?
Rial Cummings can be reached at 523-5255 or rcummings@missoulian.com. His column appears Sundays.
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