ARLINGTON, Texas—Utah Valley sophomore center Aziz Bandaogo has been named the Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, while head coach Mark Madsen was named the WAC Coach of the Year. Bandaogo, Le'Tre Darthard, and Trey Woodbury earned First Team All-WAC honors. 
 
Bandaogo also earned WAC All-Defensive team and WAC All Newcomer Team accolades, while Darthard was named to the WAC All Defensive Team. 
 
The All-Conference honors are voted on by the WAC's head coaches.
 
Bandaogo , from Senegal, is one of the top shot blockers and rebounders in the country, ranking third nationally in blocks (89), fifth in blocks per game (2.87), eighth in total rebounds (324), ninth in defensive rebounds per game (7.61), and 10th in rebounds per game (10.5). Bandaogo's 89 blocks are the most swats ever recorded in a single season in UVU history. He is just the second player in UVU history to average a double-double at 11.4 points and 10.5 rebounds a game. His 15 double-doubles are the 11th-most recorded in the nation this season. He is only the third player in UVU history to average double digit rebounds. 
 
Madsen earns his first WAC Coach of the Year honor after leading the Wolverines the 2022-23 WAC regular season championship. It is his second WAC title in his past three seasons at UVU. Madsen led Utah Valley to a second straight 20-win season with a 24-7 overall record. His team hit the 20-win mark faster than any team in UVU history during the program's full Division I status ear. His 24 wins are just one win away from tying the UVU record for wins in a season at 25. 
 
Darthard, from Denton, Texas, earns WAC honors after leading the Wolverines in scoring at 14.4 points per game. He also led the team with a 38 percent clip from three-point range, knocking down a team-best 63 shots. Darthard leads the WAC at the free throw line with an 88.9 percent (112-126) mark, which also ranks him 14th nationally. He made 31 straight free throws during the season, which was just 10 away from the UVU record of 41. Darthard scored a career-high 31 points in a win over Southern Utah where he knocked down 16 of 17 shots at the free throw line. He also knocked down a career-high seven threes in a win over Long Beach State, which is the third-most ever recorded in a game in program history. 
 
Woodbury, from Las Vegas, earns the second all-WAC honor of his career as he also earned All-WAC honorable mention honors in 2021. Woodbury averaged 12.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists this season. He recently became just the third UVU player to record a triple-double with 11 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists in UVU's outright WAC-clinching win over Stephen F. Austin last week. Woodbury is closing in on the 1,000-career point mark with 997 points. He would become just the ninth player in UVU history to score 1,000 points. 
 
Utah Valley is heading into the WAC Tournament in Las Vegas with the No. 2 seed. The Wolverines are set to play the winner of Tuesday's first round game between No. 7 Tarleton and No. 10 UTRGV on Thursday at 7 p.m. (MT) at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. 
 
 
 
2022-23 WAC Men's Basketball Awards (as voted by the conference head coaches)

Player of the Year: Qua Grant, Sam Houston
Defensive Player of the Year: Aziz Bandaogo, Utah Valley
Sixth Man of the Year: Dee Barnes, Southern Utah 
Freshman of the Year: Chendall Weaver, UT Arlington
Newcomer of the Year: Aziz Bandaogo, Utah Valley
Coach of the Year: Mark Madsen, Utah Valley 

All-WAC First Team (Alphabetical by School)
Ray Harrison, Grand Canyon
Qua Grant, Sam Houston
Cameron Tyson, Seattle U
Tevian Jones, Southern Utah
Aziz Bandaogo, Utah Valley
Le'Tre Darthard, Utah Valley
Trey Woodbury, Utah Valley
Justin Johnson, UTRGV
 
All-WAC Second Team (Alphabetical by School)
Taran Armstrong, California Baptist
Gabe McGlothan, Grand Canyon
Donte Powers, Sam Houston
Riley Grigsby, Seattle U
Maizen Fausett, Southern Utah
Sadaidriene Hall, Stephen F. Austin
Freddy Hicks, Tarleton
Cameron Gooden, Utah Tech

WAC All-Defensive Team (Alphabetical by School)
Damien Daniels, Abilene Christian
Javion May, Sam Houston
Shamir Bogues, Tarleton 
Aziz Bandaogo, Utah Valley
Le'Tre Darthard, Utah Valley

WAC All-Newcomer Team (Alphabetical by School)
Ray Harrison, Grand Canyon
Qua Grant, Sam Houston
Cameron Huefner, Sam Houston
Drake Allen, Southern Utah 
Aziz Bandaogo, Utah Valley