Podziemski Tabbed Co-Player of the Year; Trio Named All-WCC

Posted: Mar 01, 2023

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The West Coast Conference announced their annual end of the year awards for men's basketball on Wednesday, and Santa Clara was well-represented. Sophomore guard Brandin Podziemski took home a share of the league's top honor as WCC Men's Basketball Co-Player of the Year, splitting the award with Gonzaga's Drew Timme.

Podziemski was also named the conference's Newcomer of the Year and was one of three Broncos to earn a spot on the All-WCC team. Podziemski was tabbed as a first team selection, as was his fellow backcourt companion Carlos Stewart, and Keshawn Justice was picked as a second team selection for the second-straight year.

"I couldn't be prouder of everything that Brandin, Carlos and Keshawn have done this season," head coach Herb Sendek said. "These are three very special individuals, not only in terms of their athletic skill, but also in how they carry themselves off the court. They each are very deserving of their respective recognitions, and it's a testament of how well the team as a whole has performed this season."

Podziemski is the first Bronco to win WCC Player of the Year honors since John Bryant captured the award in 2008-09. He is also the first to win Newcomer of the Year since Jared Brownridge in 2013-14. The Illinois transfer ranks third in the conference at an average of 19.9 points per game and is second in league play with a mark of 21.4 ppg. He's also the WCC leader in rebounding with 8.9 boards per game in conference play and is second overall with 8.8 rpg in 30 total games played.

Podziemski has scored 596 points on the year, tied with Bryant in 2008-09 for the seventh-most in program history. He leads the WCC with 12 double-doubles on the year, including four-straight to close out the regular season. That is the most by a Bronco since, once again, Bryant in 2008-09 (15).

A native of Greenfield, Wisc., Podziemski has tallied four 30-point games, 14 20-point games and 12 double-figure rebound games. He is also averaging 3.4 assists and 1.7 steals while shooting 48.6 percent from the field and 44.5 percent from beyond the arc. The left-hander has been especially efficient from distance in league play at 51.2 percent, good for second-best in the league.

"Brandin has been every bit as advertised and then some throughout the entire season," Sendek said. "He is such a special talent and you'd be hard-pressed to find a player that works harder on the court than him. He is obviously a tremendous scorer, but watching a guard of his size average nearly nine rebounds and run a complete and total floor game shows just how complete of a player that he is. I'm very proud of him for being named the WCC's Co-Player and Newcomer of the Year, and earning a spot on the all-conference first team."

Fellow sophomore guard Carlos Stewart is also making his all-conference team debut after a brilliant regular-season of his own. The Baton Rouge, La., product is averaging 15.1 points per game overall and is 10^th in the WCC with 15.4 points in league play. Stewart is the WCC leader with 34 steals in conference play and tied for the lead at 2.1 steals per game.

Stewart has started all 31 games for the Broncos and has scored in double figures in 22 of those appearances with 10 20-point outings, second only to Podziemski on the team.

"Carlos has had a phenomenal sophomore season," said Sendek. "He really came into his own this year after showing glimpses of what he was capable of as a freshman. Now, he is certainly among the top offensive threats in our league and is an active disruptive force on defense. I'm very proud and excited for him to earn a spot on the all-conference first team."

Once again, graduate forward Keshawn Justice has found his way the All-WCC Second Team after being tabbed as a preseason all-conference pick back at the beginning of the year. The Madison, Wisc. product has been among the top 3-point shooters in all of NCAA D1 throughout the season as the WCC leader in 3-pointers made (89), attempted (237) and made per game (2.87). He has made at least one triple in the last 27-straight games and has 16 games with at least three 3-point buckets.

Justice, the program's all-time leader in career appearances with 142, has started every game for SCU this season while averaging a career-best 13.4 points per game on 38.6 percent shooting with a 38.2 percent mark from 3-point range.

"What more can be said about Keshawn than what has already been said? He is a veteran that has been around this program for nearly as long as I have," said Sendek, who is in his seventh season at the helm of Santa Clara men's basketball. "He is our captain and has been an unbelievable leader for this team. Keshawn will go down as one of the best to ever play for the Broncos, and he is so deserving of earning a spot on the all-conference team for the second consecutive season."

This is the second consecutive season that the Broncos have had three players earn all-conference recognition. Jalen Williams and Josip Vrankic were first team selections with Justice earning a second team pick at the end of the last season.

2022-23 WCC Men's Basketball Awards

Coach of the Year - Randy Bennett, Saint Mary's

Co-Players of the Year - Brandin Podziemski, Santa Clara and Drew Timme, Gonzaga

Newcomer of the Year - Brandin Podziemski, Santa Clara

Defensive Player of the Year - Logan Johnson, Saint Mary's

Sixth Man of the Year - Malachi Smith, Gonzaga

All-Conference First Team

Logan Johnson, Saint Mary's

Aidan Mahaney, Saint Mary's

Brandin Podziemski, Santa Clara

Tyrell Roberts, San Francisco

Mitchell Saxen, Saint Mary's