April 6, 2005
Stanford, Ca - Chris Hernandez, who was honored by the Pacific-10 Conference for his success on-and-off the court during the 2004-05 season, was named the team's winner of the Hank Luisetti Most Valuable Player, announced at the team's banquet Wednesday night.
Hernandez, a junior, gained first team All Pac-10 honors for a second straight season. Hernandez averaged 15.2 points per game (#9 in the Pac-10), and was ranked in the conference Top 10 in minutes played (34.8 mpg, #3), steals (1.73 spg, #4), assists (4.0 apg, #6), free throw percentage (.811, #6) and three-point field goal percentage (.404, #8).
Hernandez played 30 or more minutes in 27 of 30 games played, including a string of 15 straight games to end the season. Hernandez tallied a career-high 37 points in Stanford's 78-65 victory over UCLA. That was the most number of points by a Stanford player since Casey Jacobsen scored 41 points against Oregon during the 2001-02 season.
Hernandez was a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award for a second straight year, symbolic of the nation's best point-guard, Hernandez also gained first team honors on the National Association of Basketball Association (NABC) District-14 team, and to the Pac-10 All-Tournament team.
Hernandez also garned All Pac-10 Academic first team honors for a second straight season, and was also named first team on the District-8 ESPN The Magazine All-Academic team. Hernandez carries a 3.20 gpa in Sociology.
For the third time in the past four years, Nick Robinson was named winner of the Howie Dallmar Coaches Award, presented to the Stanford player who displayed excellence on-and-off the court. During the past three seasons, Robinson started 67 games, and during that span, the Cardinal was 51-16 (.761).
Robinson, this past season, averaged 8.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Robinson finished in the Pac-10 Top-10 in minutes played (33.4 mpg, #6) and seventh in steals (47, #7). And for a third straight season in 2004-05, Robinson was named first team All Pac-10 Academic. Robinson carries a 3.41 gpa in Political Science/Sociology. Robinson was also named a District-8 Academic first team selection by ESPN The Magazine.
Robinson was also voted Best Defensive Player in a vote of his teammates. Robinson ended his four-year Cardinal career with 107 steals, tenth-best in school history.
Robinson and Hernandez were named team captains in a vote of their teammates.
Dan Grunfeld, who was named first team All Pac-10 in 2004-05, was named winner of the Roy Young Toughness Award and Most Improved Player. Grunfeld went from a 3.4 ppg average last year to a team leading 17.9 ppg average this year, the biggest jump by a Division I player this year. Grunfeld was also named to the five-man National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) District-14 first team.
Grunfeld also excelled in the classroom. Grunfeld was named a second team Academic All-American, first team All Pac-10 Academic and first team All District-8 Academic. Grunfeld carries a 3.66 gpa in American Studies.
Grunfeld hit .431 from behind the arc, fifth-best in the Pac-10.
The Most Inspirational Award went to senior center Rob Little. Little played in 126 games at Stanford, fifth-best in school history. Little ranks eighth in career blocks (81), tenth in career field goal percentage (.550), and helped lead Stanford to four NCAA Tournament appearances and one Pac-10 title.
Little, this past season, also gained All Pac-10 first team Academic honors for a second straight season. Little will graduate from Stanford with a degree in Political Science/Philosophy.
Jason Haas and Matt Haryasz were also honored for their play in 2004-05. Haas won the team free throw percentage title with a .872 mark. Haryasz was the team's leading rebounder at 9.1 per game, also second-best in the Pac-10. Grunfeld won the scoring title at 17.9 ppg, Hernandez won the team assist crown at four per game, and Little the field goal percentage crown at .517.
Stanford ended the 2004-05 season with an 18-13 record, an 11-7 mark in the Pac-10 (third place) and a school record eleventh straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.
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