Sam Merrill Named Mountain West Preseason Player Of The Year
Oct 15, 2019, 10:05 AM | Updated: 11:36 am
Sam Merrill #5 of the Utah State Aggies reacts in the final seconds of the championship game of the Mountain West Conference basketball tournament San Diego State Aztecs at the Thomas & Mack Center on March 16, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Utah State won 64-57. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)
(Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Utah State senior guard and the reigning Mountain West Player of the Year Sam Merrill has been named the Preseason Conference Player of the Year heading into the 2019-20 season.
Additionally, sophomore center Neemias Queta was named to the preseason All-Mountain West Team.
Last season, Merrill earned the Player of the Year and Tournament MVP honors, leading the Aggies to the regular season and tournament title.
The senior from Bountiful, Utah was also named third team All-American by Stadium and an Associated Press honorable mention All-American.
Congrats to @smerrill05 on being named Preseason Player of the Year for the @MountainWest!
➡️ https://t.co/DplLs8dqdD#AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/pvclbHoJoK
— USU Men's Hoops (@USUBasketball) October 15, 2019
Queta returns for his sophomore campaign after testing the NBA Draft waters, including an invite to the Combine, being one of 66 players to receive an invitation. He was named the conference Freshman and Defensive Player of the Year last season.
The young big man spent his summer as a member of Portugal’s U-20 team that captured the FIBA European Championship – Division B title. He was graded as the most efficient player in the tournament.
Congrats to @nemi1599 on being named Preseason All-@MountainWest!
➡️ https://t.co/DplLs8dqdD#AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/jmkw2Phxxw
— USU Men's Hoops (@USUBasketball) October 15, 2019
Utah State hosts The College of Idaho in an exhibition contest on Wednesday, Oct. 30, before welcoming Montana State to the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum on Tuesday, Nov. 5, for the home opener at 8 p.m.
