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    Pac-10 announces season awards

    WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- Cal Poly senior Chad Mendes has been named Pac-10 Wrestler of the Year, Boise State's Greg Randall garners Pac-10 Coach of the Year honors and Bronco protege Kirk Smith earns Pac-10 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year award, Commissioner Tom Hansen announced today.

    Pac-10 Wrestler of the Year: Chad Mendes, Cal Poly
    Mendes, a 141-pound wrestler from Hanford, Calif., will be remembered as one of the all-time greats in Mustang history after becoming the seventh Cal Poly wrestler to reach the NCAA Division I title match and the 39th All-American. His 30-1 record included an undefeated clip of dual matches, the eighth Mustang ever to finish a season unblemished in dual action. His second-place NCAA performance gave Mendes a second All-American recognition of his career. Mendes entered the Pac-10 Tournament as the heavy favorite and did not disappoint, winning the title over Arizona State's Chris Drouin. For his career, Mendes finishes with a 64-14 overall record.

    Pac-10 Coach of the Year: Greg Randall, Boise State
    Head coach Greg Randall led Boise State to its fourth Pac-10 Championship in the last eight seasons. His team earned 152.5 points at the Conference championship for the third highest point total in Pac-10 wrestling history. The team went 10-2 in dual matches including a 7-1 record in Pac-10 matches. Under the guidance of Randall, Boise State wrestlers captured two Pac-10 Conference titles (133 and 174-pounds), four second place finishes and three third place finishes. At the NCAA National Championships, Randall guided the first true freshman in Boise State history, Kirk Smith, to NCAA All-American honors.

    Pac-10 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year: Kirk Smith, Boise State
    Smith, from Boise, Idaho, became the first true freshman and the first Bronco since 2006 to earn NCAA All-American honors as he captured eighth place at the 2008 NCAA Wrestling Championships. He took second place at 184-pounds at the Pac-10 Championships, falling, 9-7, to Brent Chiswell in an extremely close title match. Was also impressive with first place finishes at the Cowboy Open and the Southern Scuffle. For the season he posted a 28-6 record, including one pin-fall and five major decisions.

    Past Winners:

    Pac-10 Wrestler of the Year
    1976 Tom Brown, WASH, 158
    Greg Gibson, ORE, HWT
    1977 Larry Bielenberg, OSU, HWT
    1978 Dan Hicks, OSU, 142
    1979 Fred Bohna, UCLA, HWT
    1980 Howard Harris, OSU, HWT
    1981 Marty Ryan, OSU, 150
    1982 Bill Nugent, ORE, 142
    1983 Gary Bohay, ASU, 126
    1984 Jim Baumgardner, OSU, 190
    1985 Eddie Urbano, ASU, 150
    1986 Adam Cohen, ASU, 150
    1987 Mike Davies, ASU, 190
    1988 Mike Davies, ASU, 190
    1989 Dan St. John, ASU, 158
    1990 Dan St. John, ASU, 167
    1991 Paul Keysaw, CSUB, 190
    1992 Ray Miller, ASU, 158
    1993 Ray Miller, ASU, 158
    1994 Babak Mohammadi, OSU, 134
    1995 Les Gutches, OSU, 177
    1996 Les Gutches, OSU, 177
    1997 Stephen Neal, CSUB, HWT
    1998 Stephen Neal, CSUB, HWT
    1999 Stephen Neal, CSUB, HWT
    2000 Steve Blackford, ASU, 165
    2001 Eric Larkin, ASU, 141
    2002 Eric Larkin, ASU, 141
    2003 Eric Larkin, ASU, 149
    2004 Matt Gentry, STAN , 157
    2005 Cain Velasquez, ASU, HWT
    2006 Ben Cherrington, BSU, 157
    2007 Derek Moore, UCD, 141
    2008 Chad Mendes, POLY, 141

    Pac-10 Coach of the Year
    1976 Dale Thomas, OSU
    1977 Dale Thomas, OSU
    1978 Darren Sipe, WASH
    1979 Bobby Douglas, ASU
    1980 Ron Finley, ORE
    1981 Bobby Douglas, ASU
    1982 Ron Finley, ORE
    1983 Dale Thomas, OSU
    1984 Dale Thomas, OSU
    1985 Bobby Douglas, ASU
    1986 Bobby Douglas, ASU
    1987 Bobby Douglas, ASU
    1988 Bobby Douglas, ASU
    1989 Bobby Douglas, ASU
    1990 Bobby Douglas, ASU
    1991 T.J. Kerr, CSUB
    1992 Mark Johnson, OSU
    1993 Lee Roy Smith, ASU
    1994 Joe Wells, OSU
    1995 Joe Wells, OSU
    1996 T.J. Kerr, CSUB
    1997 T.J. Kerr, CSUB
    Lee Roy Smith, ASU
    1998 Lee Roy Smith, ASU
    1999 Mike Young, BSU
    2000 Mike Young, BSU
    2001 Lee Roy Smith, ASU
    2002 Mike Young, BSU
    2003 Thom Ortiz, ASU
    2004 Steve Buddie, STAN
    2005 Thom Ortiz, ASU
    2006 Thom Ortiz, ASU
    2007 Lennie Zalesky, UCD
    2008 Greg Randall, BSU

    Pac-10 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year
    2000 TJ Hill, CSF
    2001 Jed Pennell, OSU
    2002 Matt Gentry, STAN
    2003 Ryan Halsey, CP
    2004 Darrell Vasquez, CO
    2005 Andrew Hochstrasser, BSU
    2006 Tyler Sherfey, BSU
    2007 Zack Giesen, STAN
    Brandon Halsey, CSUB
    2008 Kirk Smith, BSU

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