UTEP senior forwards John Tofi and Jason Williams were tabbed to the All-Conference USA team on Monday, based on a vote by league coaches and media.
Tofi was a first team selection and Williams was a second team honoree. It marks the first all-league selection for either player, although Williams was chosen to the WAC All-Defensive Team in 2005.
UTEP has now had a first team all-conference player in each of the last three seasons (Filiberto Rivera in 2004, Rivera and Omar Thomas in 2005).
Joining Tofi on the first team were Memphis' Rodney Carney and Darius Washington, Jr., Rice's Morris Almond and UAB's Squeaky Johnson.
Tofi was leading the Miners in scoring (13.9 ppg) and rebounding (9.2 rpg) before tearing his right ACL at Memphis on Feb. 22, ending his UTEP career. A 6-8 San Francisco native, Tofi ranks 10th in career scoring at UTEP with 1,247 points. He is also fifth in blocked shots (110), fifth in rebounds (774), ninth in field goal percentage (.517) and 10th in field goals made (482). Tofi has had 10 double-doubles (points-rebounds) this season, and 15 in his career. He has played in 117 games for UTEP, making 96 starts. The 117 games played ties him for 14th place on the school list with Juden Smith. Tofi rates second in Conference USA in rebounding, third in field goal percentage (.518), fifth in blocked shots (1.2 bpg), ninth in scoring and 13th in free throw percentage (.705).
Williams, a 6-6 Marrero, La. native, is the first player in UTEP history to tally 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 300 assists. He ranks sixth in assists (302) and steals (128) and 18th in scoring (1,149 points) on the UTEP charts. Williams is averaging 14.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.5 steals this season. He is fifth in Conference USA in rebounding, sixth in scoring, 11th in assists, 11th in assist/turnover ratio (1.14), 12th in field goal percentage (.484) and 14th in steals. He has scored in double figures a team-leading 20 times in 26 games this season, including in eight of his last nine contests.
Conference USA will announce the league freshman of the year, all-freshman team, sixth man of the year and defensive player of the year on Tuesday. The C-USA coach and player of the year will be unveiled on Wednesday.
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