NORTHFIELD, Minn. -- Following a record-setting season, the honors keep pouring in for senior Zach Johnson (Apple Valley, Minn.) Today he was named to the 2009 D3hoops.com All-West Region First Team. Players were nominated and selected for these awards by the Sports Information Directors at Division III institutions. A record 662 players were nominated nationwide for the All-Region teams.

This is the fourth time that a Knight has been named to one of the D3hoops.com all-region teams. Johnson was a third-team choice last season and becomes the program’s lone first-team honoree. Scott Christensen was a second-team pick in 2003, and Dan Forkrud was a third-team selection in 2006.

Johnson totaled 592 points during the 2008-09 campaign, establishing a new Carleton single-season record. He averaged 22.8 points per game, including 22.4 during Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) contests to become the first Knight since Gerrick Monroe ’93 to pace the league in scoring. Johnson scored 20 or more points a whopping 17 times on the year, including a pair of 36-point contests to match his career high.

In fact, the versatile Johnson was one of only three MIAC players to rank among conference leaders in points, rebounds (6.2) and assists (2.7) in 2008-09. His overall scoring average was the 12th-highest figure in Division III during the season. Among the 11 players ahead of him on that list, only three had more rebounds and assists.

Johnson had already been tabbed All-MIAC by the conference coaches for the third time. He also received College Sporting News’ conference MVP and player of the year awards, the first time the publication has given both honors to the same player.

He concluded his career as the program’s all-time scoring leader, finishing with 2,029 points the 16th-highest point total in Minnesota men’s collegiate basketball history (regardless of division). He became the eighth player from a current MIAC institution to surpass the 2,000-point plateau and the first to do so in a decade.

A total of five MIAC players landed on this year’s D3hoops.com all-region squads. Bethel University senior guard Tim Madson and University of St. Thomas junior guard Joe Scott were named second-team selections, while Augsburg College senior forward Nate Alm and Concordia College sophomore forward John Fraase were chosen as third-team picks.

This is the eighth consecutive year that D3hoops.com selected all-region teams in the eight different NCAA regions. Players were nominated for these awards by the sports information directors at the various schools. The ballot was then made available to SIDs, who voted for 10 players in their region. SIDs voted for six frontcourt players and four backcourt players, to insure balance. Regions that have fewer than 40 Division III teams have two teams, while all other regions have three teams.

D3hoops.com All-West Region Squads

First team
Pos. Player School / Hometown
G Myles McKay - Sr. UW-Whitewater / Menomonee Falls, Wis.
G Andre Wagner - Sr. Buena Vista / Omaha, Neb.
F D.J. Marsh - Jr. UW-Oshkosh / Bayside, Wis.
F Zach Johnson - Sr. Carleton / Apple Valley, Minn.
C Jeff Skemp - Sr. UW-Platteville / Hazel Green, Wis.

Second team
Pos. Player - Yr. School / Hometown
G Tim Madson - Sr. Bethel / Redwood Falls, Minn.
G Joe Scott - Jr. St. Thomas / St. Anthony, Minn.
F Jason Foster - Sr. Puget Sound / Spanaway, Wash.
F Chris Blees - So. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps / Carmichael, Calif.
C Cameron Mitchell - Jr. Willamette / Portland, Ore.

Third team
Pos. Player - Yr. School / Hometown
G Chris Faidley - Sr. Whitman / Shoreline, Wash.
G Ross Nakamura - Sr. Whitworth / Moraga, Calif.
F John Fraase - So. Concordia-Moorhead / Bismarck, N.D.
F Dane Seckar-Anderson - Sr. UW-Oshkosh / Oshkosh, Wis.
F Nate Alm - Sr. Augsburg / Eden Prairie, Minn.

Player of the Year: Jeff Skemp, C, UW-Platteville
Coach of the Year: Steve Fritz, St. Thomas
Rookie of the Year: Aaron Van Klaveren, F, Cal Lutheran