KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Junior Chris Banchero, who led Seattle Pacific to a 22-6 record and No. 18 final ranking, was selected to the NCAA Division II men's basketball All-America team that was released Monday by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and State Farm.

A 6-foot-1 point guard from Seattle's O'Dea High School, Banchero led the Falcons with a 19.6-point scoring average that was the second-highest figure in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. He ranked 11th among conference players in field goal percentage (52%) and assists (2.9 apg), and 13th in steals (1.3 spg).

Banchero led all SPU players in scoring on 18 occasions, including two 30-point performances and 16 games of 20-or-more points. He hit two last-second, game-winning shots during the season, on Jan. 14 at Western Oregon and Feb. 20 at Montana State Billings.

Earlier this month, Banchero was named the recipient of the GNAC and West Region Player of the Year awards.

He helped lead the Falcons to their sixth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. SPU posted a 13-3 GNAC record to capture its first outright league championship since 2006.

The Falcons clinched the conference crown on Feb. 25 with a 100-92 home win over Central Washington, fueled by Banchero's career-high 34-point outburst.

Including Banchero, only five juniors were named to the 15-man All-America team that was dominated by 10 seniors. He is one of three starters who will return next season for the Falcons, joining junior Ryan Sweet and sophomore Jake Anderson.

Banchero is the Falcons' first All-American since Dustin Bremerman earned the same acclaim in 2007. The previous season, SPU's Tony Binetti was named to the 2006 NABC All-America squad.


2010 NCAA DIVISION II ALL-AMERICA MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM
(sponsored by the NABC and State Farm)

Chris Banchero, Seattle Pacific (6-1, Jr., guard, Seattle, Wash.)
Tyrone Curnell, Valdosta State (6-7, Sr., forward, Ocoee, Fla. )
Stephen Dennis, Kutztown (6-6, Sr., guard, West Chester, Pa.)
Kendrick Easley, Mt. Olive (6-1, Sr., guard, Norfolk, Va.)
Laurence Ekperigin, Le Moyne (6-7, Sr., forward, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.)
Justin Keenan, Ferris State (6-6, Jr., Center, Grand Rapids, Mich.)
Bryan LeDuc, Cal State San Bernardino (6-8, Sr., forward, Corona, Calif.)
Ben Madgen, Augusta State (6-4, Sr., guard, Williamstown, Australia)
Travis Nelson, Minnesota State (6-11, Sr., center, Marion, Iowa)
Matt Schneck, St. Cloud State (6-8, Sr., center, Whitefish Bay, Wis.)
Jamar Smith, Southern Indiana (6-3, Sr., guard, Peoria, Ill.)
Sanijay Watts, Central Missouri (6-4, Sr., forward, St. Louis, Mo.)
Darryl Webb, Indiana (Pa.) University (6-6, Jr., forward, Elkridge, Md.)
Jason Westrol, Bentley (6-3, Sr., guard, Brielle, N.J.)
Dauntae Williams Central Oklahoma (6-4, Jr., guard, Missouri City, Texas)
Nick Wolf, Rollins (6-6, Jr., guard, Cincinnati, Ohio)