March 16, 2004
TUCSON, Ariz. - Andre Iguodala was named the Arizona men's basketball most valuable player as part of the awards presented Monday night at the team's annual awards banquet held at the Loews Ventana Canyon resort.
Iguodala, a 6-foot-6, 207-pound forward from Springfield, Ill., earned most-valuable-player honors in a vote of his teammates after averaging 12.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game this season. The sophomore is the only player in the Pac-10 to be ranked among the league leaders in points, rebounds, assists, steals and assist:turnover ratio. He has 10 double-doubles to his credit, including three triple-doubles. Iguodala and California's Jason Kidd are the only players in league history to register three or more triple-doubles in a single season. He also shared most improved honors with freshman Kirk Walters.
Senior Jason Ranne and junior Channing Frye were officially named team captains Monday evening. Frye, a 6-foot-11, 248-pound center averaged 16.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots in 29 games this season. Ranne, a 6-foot-4, 204-pound guard from Tulsa, Okla., averaged 0.8 points, 0.3 rebounds and 0.3 assists in a career-best 22 appearances in 2003-04. Ranne originally joined the program in 2000-01 as a walk-on.
Iguodala was the evening's most decorated player, as he earned the MVP, co-most improved, most rebounds, most assists and most assists awards. Other players honored included Frye (Captains Award, Coaches Award), Hassan Adams (most inspirational), Salim Stoudamire (co-best defensive player, co-Mr. Hustle), Chris Rodgers (co-best defensive player, best free throw percentage) and Mustafa Shakur (co-Mr. Hustle).
The awards presented at the banquet were as follows:
Most Valuable Player: Andre Iguodala
Best Defensive Player: Salim Stoudamire, Chris Rodgers
Most Improved: Andre Iguodala, Kirk Walters
Coaches Award: Channing Frye, Matt Brase, Beau Muhlbach, Ivan Radenovic
Mr. Hustle Award: Salim Stoudamire, Mustafa Shakur
Most Inspirational: Hassan Adams
Academic Award: Jason Ranne
Most Rebounds: Andre Iguodala
Best Free Throw Percentage: Chris Rodgers
Most Steals: Andre Iguodala
Most Assists: Andre Iguodala
Captains Award: Jason Ranne, Channing Frye
The 22nd-ranked Wildcats (20-9 overall, 11-7 Pac-10) are next in action on Thursday, March 18, vs. Seton Hall in the first round of the NCAA Atlanta Regional in Raleigh, N.C. Arizona is making its 20th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.
