March 3, 2005
RICHMOND, VA-- Alex Loughton (Perth, Australia) was named Player of the Year in the Colonial Athletic Association and the league also named ODU head coach Blaine Taylor, Coach of the Year, as selected by the league's head coaches, media andSports information Directors. Junior guard Isaiah Hunter (Charlotte, NC.), sophomore forward Aranaud Dahi (Ivory Coast, Africa) and sophomore guard Drew Williamson(Burlington, NC.) also earned All-CAA honors.
Loughton averaged 13.4 points, 8.1 rebounds per game while shooting .503from the field and .775 from the line. He also averaged 1.6 steals and assists per game.the 6-9 junior is ODU's first CAA Player of the Year since Odell Hodge in 1997. Loughton ranks second in the CAA in rebounding, ninth in free throw percentage, sixthin steals, 11th in scoring. Loughton joined the 1,000 career point mark earlier this yearin the win against Towson. Loughton has ten double-doubles this year. Loughton alsogot in done in the classroom, earning CAA All-Academic honors. He also was selectedto the ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-District squad with a 3.42 grade point average inbusiness marketing, and was a finalist for the Dean Ehler's Award.
Each year under Taylor, the Monarchs have improved their record. Last year,ODU was 17-12 and finished fourth. This season, the Monarchs beat St. Joseph's,Texas Christian and Kent State in route to tying the school record with 25 wins andgoing 15-3 in the CAA. ODU's two non-conference losses were at DePaul and atTexas A&M Corpus Christi. The three losses were to VCU, George Mason and Hofsta.Taylor picked up his 200th career win at Hofstra. As a team, ODU led the CAA inscoring defense, three-point field goal percentage defense, rebounding, assists, stealsand assists/turnover ration.
Isaiah Hunter earned second team honors as he averaged 13.2 points per game overall and 13.4 in CAA games. He scored 25 in the ESPN2 win over VCU and 20 in the win against Kent State. Hunter was also named MVP at the Corpus Christi Challenge. A day later his father, Irving Hunter lost his battle with cancer.
Arnaud Dahi earned third team honors as he had 17 double figure games this year, including 20 against Towson And Drexel. He also hit the game winning shot at Drexel. He scored 18 points with 11 rebounds against VMI. Dahi ranks tenth in the CAA inrebounding, 19th in scoring and third in blocked shots.
Sophomore point guard Drew Williamson earned a spot on the All-Defensive squad. Williamson leads the CAA in assists/turnover ratio at 1.4 and ranks third in theleague in assists.
2005 ALL CAA AWARDSFirst TeamAlex Loughton, ODU 6-9, Jr.Loren Stokes, Hofstra, 6-3, SoHarding Nana, Delaware, 6-8, Jr.Nick George, VCU, 6-6, Jr.John Goldsberry, UNCW, 6-3, Jr.
Second TeamPhil Goss, Drexel, 6-2, Sr.Lamar Butler, GMU,6-2, Jr.Michael Doles, VCU, 6-6, Sr.Isaiah Hunter, ODU, 6-3, Jr.Jai Lewis, Mason, 6-7, Jr.
Third TeamTony Skinn, Mason, 6-1 , JR.Arnaud Dahi, ODU, 6-7, SO.Mike Slattery, Delaware, 5-11, Sr,Antoine Agudio, Hofstra, 6-3, Fr.,Corey Cofield, WM, 6-5, So.
All-DefensiveJohn Goldsberry, UNCWChaz Crawford, DrexelBashir Mason, DrexelLoren Stokes, HofstraDrew Williamson, ODU
2005 All AcademicNick D'Antoni, W&MJohn Goldsberry, UNCWAlex Loughton , ODUHolden Plack, TowsonMike Slattery, DelawareBeckham Wyrick, UNCW
Player of the Year: Alex Loughton, ODUCoach of The Year: Blaine Taylor, ODURookie of the Year: Antoine Agudio, HofstraDefensive Player of the Year: John Goldsberry, UNCWDean Ehlers Award: Calvin Smith, Delaware.