Men’s Basketball GCU ATHLETICS DIRECTORY AREA CODE-PREFIX: 602.639. STAFF B. Keith Baker Director of Athletics x6054 Ruth Ann Gardner Assistant Athletics Director /SWA x6041 ON THE COVER Dan Nichols Assistant Athletics Director x6117 (L to R) Nick Witherill, Justin Wesolowski, Barret Robbins, Brad Carroll, Kyle Speed Mike McNally Assistant Athletics Director /MR x7153 Tyneshia Johnson Administrative Assistant x6053 TABLE OF CONTENTS Geordie Hackett, A.T.C. Head Athletic Trainer x6038 3 Quick Facts Chuck Howard Strength / Conditioning x6655 3 Media Information/ Media Outlets Dr. Craig Phelps Team Orthopedic Physician x6038 4 Director of Athletics Joshua Meyer Compliance Coordinator x6587 5 GCU Arena 6 GCU New Athletic Facilities Claude N. Pensis Faculty Athletics Representative x6971 7 In the Community Steve Heath Assistant Sports Information Director x6514 8 Pacific West Conference 9 2011-12 Schedule FAX NUMBERS 10 Roster Athletic Training Room Fax x7815 11-15 Coaching Staff 16 Support Staff Gymnasium Fax x7824 Player Profiles 17-28 Clubhouse Fax x7834 29 2010-11 Recap 30-31 Records 32 Honors 33-44 Year-by-Year Results 44 2010-11 PacWest Standings/Postseason 45 Grand Canyon’s History of Hoops 46-47 All-Time Series 48-50 All-Time Letterwinners 51 Grand Canyon to Grand Stage CREDITS 52 GCU Athletic Facilities The 2011-12 edition of the Grand Canyon University Men’s Basketball Media 53 Grand Canyon University Guide was compiled and written by Mike McNally and Brooke Baker. Design and 54 Phoenix layout by Deanna M Fusco (SoHo Southwest). Cover design by GCU Marketing Department. Photo contributions by Tim Koors, Jak Keysar and Jason Wise. 55-56 GCU Administration Quick Facts GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY Affiliation: NCAA Division II CEO: Brian Mueller 3300 W Camelback Road Conference: Pacific West Conference Athletic Director: B. Keith Baker Phoenix, AZ 85017 602.639.6054 602.639.6035 Facility: GCU Arena Phone: gculopes.com Capacity: 4,602 Head Coach: Russ Pennell, 3rd year Enrollment: Phone: 602.639.6300 Colors: Purple/Black/White Campus: 4,400 Men’s Basketball SID: Mike McNally Nickname: Antelopes (‘Lopes) Online: 38,000 Phone: 602.639.7153 Executive Chairman: Brent Richardson Fax: 602.343.4645 Media Information To The Media Post-game Any questions or assistance arranging interviews can be obtained GCU Head Coach Russ Pennell and his players will be made available by contacting Mike McNally, GCU men’s basketball contact, at in the hallway outside of the men’s locker room after each game. 602.639.7153 (desk), 602.565.2954 (cell) or michael.mcnally@gcu. Please let Mike McNally know which players you would like to speak edu. Athletes and coaches typically are available before and after with and they will be made available. practice. GCU student-athletes are not available for interviews on game days prior to game time. Requests for interviewing a student athlete at a practice or after a GCU event should be brought to the Media Outlets attention of Mike McNally. NEWSPAPERS Credentials The Arizona Republic This season we will only be issuing daily credentials. However, if you know in advance games you will be covering, we will make sure to 200 E. Van Buren St. get those to you ahead of time. It is preferred that requests for media Phoenix, AZ 85004 credentials be e-mailed to Mike McNally at michael.mcnally@gcu. Phone: 602.444.8641 – Fax: 602.444.8686 edu, but we will accommodate requests by phone as well. While as Glendale Star/ Peoria Times much notice as possible is always appreciated, we will always make our games available to the media to cover. Since space is limited, Phone: 623.847.4614 – Fax: 623.842.6017 requests from media that cover GCU Athletics on a regular basis are East Valley Tribune given priority for seating assignments. Credential pickup this season Phone: 480.898.6525 – Fax: 480.898.5665 will be located inside the main lobby at GCU Arena on the east side of the building. RADIO Parking XTRA AM-910 Media and visiting team parking will be located at Camelback Road and 32nd Avenue. With the construction still continuing on the street, Phone: 602.260.9191 – Fax: 602.650.5275 nd 32 Ave. has not been marked. For those coming to the Arena The Fan AM 1060 nd westbound on 32 Ave., take the first right after you pass the Phoenix Phone: 480.838.0400 Baptist Church property. Traveling eastbound, you will take the first left after passing the main GCU entrance at 33rd Ave. For media members that have not picked up credentials in advance, please show a station/ TELEVISION work I.D. badge. COX SPORTS-7 Phone: 602.379.2400 – Fax: 602.379.2459 Working Media KNXV-15 (ABC) Phone: 602.273.1500 – Fax: 602.685.3000 We have dedicated Suite 2 as a working area for media members KPHO-5 (CBS) Phone: 602.264.1000 – Fax: 602.650.0761 this season. This media area has wireless and high speed internet KPNX-12 (NBC) Phone: 602.257.1212 – Fax: 602.257.6670 connections for your use. The seats in this area will be on a “first come, KSAZ-10 (FOX) Phone: 602.262.5124 – Fax: 602.262.0435 first served” basis, unless spots have been previously assigned. KTVK-3 (IND.) Phone: 602.207.3443 – Fax: 602.207.3477 Event Services Notes, lineup cards and cumulative statistics will be furnished prior to WIRE SERVICE each event. Final game statistics will also be available when complete after each contest. Wireless internet will be available throughout The Associated Press GCU Arena, as well as a few high speed lines in the media press area 500 N. Third Street, Suite 120 (Suite 2). Phoenix, AZ 85004 Television/Photographers Phone: 602.258.8934 – Fax: 602.254.9573 Courtside access is available for television and photographers from media outlets covering the game. Assigned spots will only be given in the event of space limitations. 2011-12 GCU Men’s Basketball Media Guide 3 Director of Athletics B. Keith Baker Grand Canyon College, 1982 rand Canyon University Director of Athletics B. Keith Baker has worn multiple hats at the school he attended, competed G for and has been employed by since the early 1980s. A 1982 graduate of Grand Canyon College, Baker was hired in March 1983 as the school’s full-time sports information director. Prior to that, he worked for Grand Canyon as a play-by-play announcer for the Antelopes’ basketball broadcasts since his sophomore year at the school. While working toward his bachelor’s degree from Grand Canyon with a double major in business administration and communications, Baker pitched on the school’s first three NAIA national championship baseball teams (1980-82). He also holds the distinction of throwing the program’s most recent no-hitter against Nebraska Wesleyan He has been a model representative of the university, upholding its University on March 11, 1982. core values as a Christian institution, and has become an excellent Baker served as Grand Canyon’s SID until 1989 before becoming spokesperson on behalf of the school, his church and the community assistant athletic director. He succeeded former GCU President in a variety of ways. He is constantly pushing his staff members and Dr. Gil Stafford as athletic director in 1994, and continues to hold coaches to serve the Lord in their daily lives by the way they treat that position. For six years during his reign as director of athletics, one another, in addition to upholding integrity and strong values as Baker also coached the men’s golf team. He guided the Antelopes to they represent themselves and the school in athletic competitions. three straight NCAA Division II national-championship tournaments He was recognized for his exceptional leadership in 2009 when from 2006-08, finishing in the top 12 in the nation in each of those he was named “Under Armour AD of the Year” for the Division II seasons. His team finished 10th in the country in 2007 after winning West Region. the Pacific West Conference championship and placing second at A member of a family that has had numerous relatives attend the the NCAA West Regional. In 2008, one of his golfers won the NCAA school, Baker and his wife, Amber, met and were married during West Region individual title. their undergraduate years at Grand Canyon. They reside in Glendale During his tenure at Grand Canyon and to this date, Baker continues and have two sons, Brian and Brandon, and a daughter, Brooke, to offer his exceptional talents as a broadcaster, public-address who played for the GCU women’s volleyball team from 2007 to 2009 announcer and photographer. He also served as a part-time faculty and graduated in May 2010. member by leading courses in sports broadcasting and golf. 2011-12 GCU Men’s Basketball Media Guide 4 GCU Arena Grand Canyon University Arena had its ribbon-cutting ceremony Sept. 1, 2011. GCU Arena will seat nearly 5,000 fans for basketball in a state-of-the-art venue that will also host musical performances, speaking engagements and conferences. GCU’s volleyball and wrestling teams will also use the venue for special events. 2011-12 GCU Men’s Basketball Media Guide 5 GCU New Athletic Facilities Student Recreation Center For the ‘wow’ factor junior guard Nick Witherill waited until “Seeing things like this just lifts your spirits, because it shows the ribbon-cutting ceremony to see GCU’s new Student that people really care and want you to succeed,” said GCU Recreation Center. head basketball coach Russ Pennell. It was worth the wait. “The courts, in and of themselves, are an incredible recruiting tool,” said Bob Machen, GCU’s campus development project On Oct.