Britton Johnsen Named Mountain West Player of the Year

March 4, 2002

SALT LAKE CITY - Utah junior forward Britton Johnsen was named the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year as the league announced its 2001-02 men's basketball awards today. Sophomore guard Nick Jacobson and senior guard/forward Jeff Johnsen were selected to the third team. Senior point guard Travis Spivey earned honorable mention.

The conference's eight head coaches selected the all-conference teams, coach, player, freshman and defensive awards. Wyoming head coach Steve McClain captured Coach of the Year honors. Freshman of the Year honors went to Jason Straight of Wyoming and Jared Jensen of BYU, while UNLV's Marcus Banks was named Defensive Player of the Year.

Regular-season champion Wyoming led the league with four all-conference selections. Utah had the second-most honorees with three, followed by New Mexico, San Diego State and New Mexico with two and BYU and Colorado State with one. Britton Johnsen and San Diego State's Randy Holcomb were consensus first team selections, while Marcus Bailey of Wyoming was the only repeat first team honoree from last season. Ruben Douglas of New Mexico and UNLV's Dalron Johnson were also named to the first team.

Britton Johnsen was selected as Player of the Year after leading the Utes to a 20-7 overall record and a 10-4 mark in MWC play. He averaged 15.3 points and 8.1 rebounds per game in conference play this season ranking seventh and third, respectively, in those categories. The Murray, Utah, native also shot 55.7 percent from the field and 40.4 percent from beyond the three-point arc. In all games, Johnsen averaged 13.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while shooting 50.2 percent from the field.

Britton Johnsen was a second team all-conference selection last year and is the second Ute in three years to be named Mountain West Player of the Year. Alex Jensen won the award in 1999-2000. During Rick Majerus' 13 year tenure at Utah, his players have earned conference player of the year honors eight times.

Jacobson made the third team after averaging 12.1 points per game in league play. He also ranked sixth in three-point percentage (42.0) and second in threes made per game (2.07). The native of Fargo, N.D., was named the MWC Freshman of the Year last season. During the regular season overall, Jacobson averaged 13.2 points per game while shooting 45.1 percent from three-point range to rank second in the conference.

Jeff Johnsen made the all-conference team for the first time. A graduate of Murray High School (Utah) like his younger brother Britton, Jeff ranked 12th in scoring (12.1 ppg), sixth in assists (4.5 apg) and 10th in three-point percentage (40.7) during the conference season. He also averaged 32.8 minutes per game while starting all 14 MWC games. Johnsen started 23 of the 27 regular season games for the Utes and had a team-best 36 steals.

Spivey earned all-conference recognition for the first time in his two year career at Utah. During the conference season, the Myrtle Beach, S.C., native ranked second in assists (4.43 apg) and third in assists/turnover ratio (1.59). Spivey also averaged 7.5 points, shooting 51.6 percent from the field, and 4.5 rebounds in 14 league games.

2001-02 All-Mountain West Conference Men's Basketball Team


First Team All-Mountain WestMarcus Bailey, Wyoming, 6-5, 190, Jr., G/F, Cheyenne, Wyo. (East HS)Ruben Douglas, New Mexico, 6-5, 200, Jr., G, Altadena, Calif. (Univ. of Arizona)Randy Holcomb, San Diego State, 6-9, 222, Sr., F, Chicago, Ill. (LA City College)Britton Johnsen, Utah, 6-9, 213, Jr., F, Murray, Utah (Murray HS)Dalron Johnson, UNLV, 6-9, 205, Jr., Los Angeles, Calif. (Verbum Dei HS)
Second Team All-Mountain WestMarcus Banks, UNLV, 6-1, 195, Jr., Las Vegas, Nev. (Dixie College)Al Faux, San Diego State, 6-2, 178, Sr., Los Angeles, Calif. (Crenshaw HS)Brian Greene, Colorado State, 6-8, 225, Jr., Thorton, Colo. (Horizon HS)Travis Hansen, BYU, 6-6, 210, Jr., Orem, Utah (Utah Valley State College)Uche Nsonwu-Amadi, Wyoming, 6-10, 260, Jr., F/C, Enugu, Nigeria (Indian Hills CC)
Third Team All-Mountain WestEric Chatfield, New Mexico, 6-3, 215, Sr., Queens, N.Y. (Angelina College)Josh Davis, Wyoming, 6-8, 235, Sr., F/C, Salem, Ore. (Salem Academy HS)Nick Jacobson, Utah, 6-4, 194, So., Fargo, N.D. (Roseville HS, Minn.)Jeff Johnsen, Utah, 6-4, 204, Sr., Murray, Utah (Murray HS)Donta Richardson, Wyoming, 6-2, 170, Jr., Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sheridan CC)
Honorable MentionAir Force - Lamoni Yazzie (Sr., G), Tom Bellairs (Jr., F), Joel Gerlach (So., F),BYU - Mark Bigelow (So., F), Matt Montague (Sr., G), Eric Nielsen (Sr., F),Colorado State - Andy Birley (Jr., G), New Mexico - Patrick Dennehy (So., F),San Diego State - Tony Bland (Jr., G), UNLV - Lou Kelly (Sr., F),Utah - Travis Spivey (Sr., G).
Player of the Year - Britton Johnsen, UtahFreshmen of the Year - Jason Straight, Wyoming/Jared Jensen, BYUDefensive Player of the Year - Marcus Banks, UNLVCoach of the Year - Steve McClain, Wyoming

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