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Whitworth guard Kyle Roach named Division III first-team All-American

Whitworth players surround Kyle Roach, fingers raised, after he hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat Whitman College 91-88 and take the Northwest Conference Tournament championship. (Greg Lehman / Walla Walla Union-Bulletin)
By Jim Allen jima@spokesman.com

The honors continue to pour in for Whitworth’s Kyle Roach, who on Thursday was named a first-team Division III All-American by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

Roach also was named a first-team All-West Regional selection by D3hoops.com.

Those honors come three days after Roach was selected the West Region Player of the Year by the NABC.

Roach, a 6-foot-5 junior guard/forward from Marinwood, California, is the first Whitworth player to be named first-team All-American since 2011 and is the first under coach Matt Logie.

“The entire Whitworth basketball family is incredibly proud of Kyle’s recognition as a first-team All-American,” Logie said.

“Kyle’s work ethic as a Pirate has been matched only by his competitive drive and his desire to do whatever it takes to win,” Logie added.

Last month, Roach became the 12th player in Whitworth history to earn Northwest Conference Player of the Year recognition.

Roach averaged a team-best 18.7 points per game this season, which ranked third in the NWC.

In conference-only stats, on which All-NWC voting is based, Roached averaged 20.3 points per game. Roach led the NWC in minutes played (34.6) and in free throws made (118 of 148). In addition, Roach added 5.2 rebounds per game and led his team in assists per game (3.8).

Whitworth finished 24-4 and reached the NCAA Division III tournament for the 12th year in a row and 13th time overall.

Roach is the fourth Pirates player under Logie to earn NABC All-America recognition. He is the first one to be a first-team honoree since Michael Taylor was the NABC Division III Player of the Year in 2011.