HONOLULU - The Hawai`i men's basketball team held its annual Awards Banquet, Thursday night, at the Hawai`i Prince Hotel in Waikiki. Outgoing head coach Riley Wallace and his staff handed out numerous awards, including the Art Woolaway Most Outstanding Player Award, which was presented to senior Matt Lojeski.

Lojeski, a two-year starter, was the team's leading scorer this past season, averaging 16.9 points per game. A second team all-Western Athletic Conference pick, Lojeski also led the team in assists (4.5) and steals (1.7). The Racine, Wisc., native, finished his career ranked third all-time in free throw percentage (.830) and ranks in the top ten in career three-pointers made (100) and three-point percentage (.382). He started all 59 games played and scored in double figures 47 times. Lojeski also received the Captain's Award with fellow senior Ahmet Gueye.

For the second straight year, Gueye earned both the Top Rebounder and Top Defensive Player awards. The Dakar, Senegal native, finished the season with the ninth highest total rebounds (252) and fourth most blocked shots (66) in school history. Upon completion of his two-year career, Gueye ranks seventh all-time in rebounding average (8.1), fourth in blocked shots (131) and fourth in field goal percentage (.532).

Junior Bobby Nash was presented with the Ah Chew Goo Most Inspirational Player Award, which was voted by his teammates. Other players earning awards were junior P.J. Owsley (Most Improved), Matt Gibson (Top Playmaker), sophomore Dominic Waters (Top Free Throw Shooter), and freshman Todd Lowenthal (Academic).

The Rainbow Warriors finished Wallace's 20th and final season with an 18-13 record, the program's eighth straight winning season.

Award Recipient
Top Playmaker Matt Gibson
Top Rebounder Ahmet Gueye
Top Defensive Player Ahmet Gueye
Top Free Throw Shooter Dominic Waters
Academic Todd Lowenthal
Captain's Ahmet Gueye, Matt Lojeski
Most Improved Player P.J. Owsley
Ah Chew Goo Most Inspirational Player Bobby Nash
Art Woolaway Most Outstanding Player Matt Lojeski

-UH-