March 10, 2003

MILWAUKEE -- Marquette University junior Dwyane Wade (Robbins, Ill.) was recognized for his outstanding season today and was named All-Conference USA First Team. The voting was done by the league's coaches and media. It marks the second straight year that Wade has earned a first-team berth on the all-conference squad.

Wade's honors led an impressive showing by Marquette in the conference post season awards distribution with sophomore Travis Diener (Fond du Lac) and senior Robert Jackson (Milwaukee) earning Conference USA Second Team acclaim.

The 6-foot-5 Wade led all C-USA players in scoring in both overall (21.9 ppg) and league (20.4 ppg) contests, and finished the regular season ranked among the top 10 performers in the conference in field goal shooting (7th, .511), assists (9th, 4.15 apg) and steals (2nd, 2.26 spg). In addition, Wade was tied for 17th in the league in rebounding (6.3 rpg). Wade, who was selected as the league's Player of the Week on five occasions, registered double-figure scoring in 25 of MU's 27 games including 18 performances of 20 or more points. His 590 total points ranks fifth on Marquette's all-time seasonal chart as does his league-leading 165 free throws. Already named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) District 11 First Team, Wade is a finalist for the Wooden, Naismith and Oscar Robertson Awards.

Diener ran the club with a steady hand during the 2002-03 season and concluded the regular season No. 2 in the league in assists in overall (5.70 apg) play while holding down the No. 3 position in league contests (5.50 apg). Diener, who has led or shared for the team lead in assists in 19 games this year, held down the No. 2 position in C-USA in assist/turnover ratio (+2.85) in overall action as well as conference affairs (+3.26). Diener posted three games of double-figure assists including a career high of 12 against South Florida (Jan. 11) that tied for the high-water mark by a C-USA player in a league game.

Jackson, 6-foot-10, proved to be a consistent and imposing force inside for the Golden Eagles and concluded the regular season No. 2 on the team and No. 10 among C-USA players in scoring with a 15.7 points per game average. Jackson also led all league cagers with a 55.4 field goal percentage mark while ranking 11th in rebounding (7.4 rpg) and free throw shooting (77.7%) and fourth in offensive rebounds (3.33 orpg). Heading into this week's 2003 Kelly Tires C-USA Tournament, Jackson has seven double doubles to his credit and 25 performances of double-figure scoring, including seven contests of 20 or more points.

Conference USA will release the All-Freshman Team, Freshman of the Year, Sixth Player and Defensive Player of the Year on Tuesday (Mar. 11). The Player of the Year and Coach of the Year will be announced on Wednesday (Mar. 12).

2002-03 ALL-CONFERENCE USA FIRST TEAM

Dwyane Wade, Marquette

Reece Gaines, Louisville

Chris Massie, Memphis

Louis Truscott, Houston

Marque Perry, Saint Louis

2002-03 ALL-CONFERENCE USA SECOND TEAM

Demon Brown, Charlotte

Travis Diener Marquette

Morris Finley, UAB

Robert Jackson, Marquette

Leonard Stokes, Cincinnati

2002-03 ALL-CONFERENCE USA THIRD TEAM

Antonio Burks, Memphis

Charles Gaines, Southern Miss

Sam Hoskin, DePaul

Waitari Marsh, Tulane

Will McDonald, South Florida