Providence College Athletics

Three Friars To Be Honored By Words Unlimited

1/27/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country

Jan. 27, 2005

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Providence College basketball player Ryan Gomes (Waterbury, Conn.) and women's cross country/track star Kim Smith (Auckland, New Zealand), as well as cross country/track Head Coach Ray Treacy, will be honored at the 59th annual Words Unlimited Sports Awards Banquet on Sunday, February 20 at the Radisson on Post Road in Warwick. Words Unlimited is a statewide organization of sports writers, sports casters and sports publicists. Gomes was named Male Athlete of the Year, Smith was tabbed Female Athlete of the Year, while Treacy earned Women's Sports Coach of the Year.

Gomes posted an incredible season in 2003-04. He led the Friars in scoring (18.9 ppg) and rebounding (9.4 rpg). Gomes also paced the Friars to a 20-9 mark and a third-place finish in the BIG EAST with an 11-5 record. The squad's 11 league victories tied the College's BIG EAST single-season win mark. In addition to their third place finish in the league, Gomes brought the Friars to new heights last season as they were nationally ranked for nine weeks and reached No. 12 in the Associated Press rankings. The team also earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2001. Gomes helped lead the Friars to upset wins over No. 14 Illinois, No. 4 Connecticut and No. 18 Syracuse.

In 29 games, Gomes registered 13 double-doubles. He scored 20 or more points 14 times, including a season-high 28 points versus Texas on January 5 and Seton Hall on February 1. He also registered 10 or more rebounds in 15 of the team's 29 contests. He ranked in the top five in the BIG EAST in field goal percentage (50.7), rebounds (9.4 rpg), scoring (18.9 ppg), and free throw percentage (87.0).

The 6-7, 240-pound forward earned a number of honors after his impressive junior season. Gomes received nine All-America honors in 2004. Those teams were the Associated Press First Team All-America, Wooden All-America, ESPN.com First Team All-America, CBS SportsLine.com First Team All-America, United States Basketball Writers Association First Team All-America, Sporting News First Team All-America, NABC Second Team All-America, Basketball Times Second Team All-America and College Insider.com All-America. He was just the fourth Friar ever to earn Associated Press First Team All-America honors and the first since Marvin Barnes received the accolade in 1974.

Gomes, a four-time BIG EAST Player of the Week honoree last season, was one of only two players to be named a unanimous selection for the 2004 All-BIG EAST First Team. He also earned local honors as he received Rhode Island Division I Player of the Year accolades.

In June, he withdrew his name from the NBA Draft to return to Providence College for his senior season. In October, he was named Preseason Player of the Year and one of seven players named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team. He became the first Friar to earn BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year accolades. Gomes is on track to become the first Friar ever to register 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.

Gomes, who played for three seasons at Wilby High School (Conn.), is the son of Teresa Gomes and John Brooks.

Smith capped off her collegiate career at Providence College by capturing the 2004 NCAA Cross Country Championship on November 22. Smith's dominating performance from start to finish, helped the Friars place third overall. During the 2004 cross country season, Smith won every race, including the BIG EAST Championship and the NCAA Northeast Regional Championship. In addition, Smith received the Honda Award for Cross Country, given annually to the nation's top women's cross country runner.

In 2004, Smith earned four All-America honors and set several NCAA records in the process. At the 2004 NCAA Indoor Track Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas on March 12-13, Smith won the 3,000 and 5,000 meters in NCAA record time as the Friars finished ninth. It marked the first time ever that Providence finished in the top 10 at the NCAA Indoor Track Championships. On March 12, Smith ran the 5,000 meters in a time of 15:14.18, breaking the 13-year-old NCAA record (15:17.28) in that event. The following day, Smith captured the 3,000 meters in a time of 8:49.18 and set an NCAA record, eclipsing the previous mark of 8:53.54 that was set in 1983. Smith became the first Friar to capture two NCAA titles at the same meet.

During the outdoor season, Smith continued her domination. She set the NCAA record in the outdoor 5,000 meters in a time of 15:09.72 at the Mount Sac Relays on April 23. Smith's time broke the previous record set in 1985. She went on to capture her third NCAA individual championship as she won the 5,000 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Austin, Texas. Smith was the recipient of another Honda Award as she earned the prestigious honor for track and field.

Treacy, a native of Waterford, Ireland, earned the honor for the fourth time since the award's inception in 1983. He led the Providence College women's cross country team to a third-place finish at the 2004 NCAA Championships. It marked the 15th top-10 finish in the school's history. The third-place finish also marked the third-best finish for the Friars at the NCAA's. The team placed second in 1990 and captured the crown in 1995 under Treacy's tutelage.

Treacy's team won six of the seven meets this season. The Friars captured the NCAA Northeast Regional Championship to qualify for the NCAA's for the 16th-consecutive season. In addition, Providence won its fourth BIG EAST title as Treacy was named BIG EAST Coach of the Year. Treacy also was named NCAA Northeast Regional Coach of the Year.

Treacy, his wife, Lisa, and their two sons reside in Warwick.

-end-

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