November 1, 2006

With the season about to start, it is time to look ahead and project the top players by conference.

Here is my list of super six, all-conference selections along with Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year in a three-part series:

ACC
F:Jared Dudley, Boston College
C:Tyler Hansborough, North Carolina
F-C:Josh McRoberts, Duke
G:Anthony Morrow, Georgia Tech
G:Sean Singletary, Virginia
F:Al Thornton, Florida State

NEWCOMERS OF THE YEAR: Thaddeus Young, Georgia Tech

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Tyler Hansborough, North Carolina

ATLANTIC 10
F-G:De'Angelo Alexander, Charlotte
G:Stanley Burrell, Xavier
F:Bryant Dunston, Fordham
G:Carl Elliott, George Washington
F:Rashaun Freeman, Massachusetts
C:Ian Vouyoukas, Saint Louis

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Gary Forbes, Massachusetts (transfer from Virginia)

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Freeman

BIG TEN
G-F: Geary Claxton, Penn State
G:Jamar Butler, Ohio State
F:Carl Landry, Purdue
G:Kammron Taylor, Wisconsin
F:Alando Tucker, Wisconsin
C-F:DJ White, Indiana

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Greg Oden, Ohio State (freshman)

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Tucker

BIG 12
G:Aaron Bruce, Baylor
F:Julian Wright, Kansas
G:Jarrius Jackson, Texas Tech
C:Joseph Jones, Texas A&M
G-F:Richard Roby, Colorado
F-G:Brandon Rush, Kansas

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Kevin Durant, Texas (freshman)

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jackson

PART TWO: BIG EAST
C:Aaron Gray, Pittsburgh
F:Jeff Green, Georgetown
C:Roy Hibbert, Georgetown
G:Dominic James, Marquette
F:Juan Palacios, Louisville
F:Curtis Sumpter, Villanova

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Paul Harris, Syracuse

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Gray

CONFERENCE USA
G-F:Morris Almond, Rice
G:Antonio Anderson, Memphis
G-F:Chris Roberts-Douglas, Memphis
G:Oliver Lafayette, Houston
G-F:Josh Peppers, Central Florida
G:Kevin Henderson, UTEP

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Doneal Mack, Memphis

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Almond

MID-AMERICAN GJustin Ingram, Toledo
G:Dru Joyce, Akron
F:Skip Mills, Ball State
C:Joe Reitz, Western Michigan
G:Martin Samarco, Bowling Green
F:Romeo Travis, Akron

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Haminn Quaintance, Kent State (transfer from Jacksonville)

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Justin Ingram, Toledo

MISSOURI VALLEY
G:Blake Ahearn, Missouri State
G:Nate Funk, Creighton
G:Jamaal Tatum, Southern Illinois
C:Anthony Tolliver, Creighton
F:Matt Webster, Evansville
F:Kyle Wilson, Wichita State

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Boo Richardson, Illinois State (JUCO transfer)

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Funk

PART ONE:
MOUNTAIN WEST
G:Kevin Kruger, UNLV
G:JR Giddens, New Mexico
G:Brandon Heath, San Diego State
F:Trent Plaisted, BYU
C;Jason Smith, Colorado State
F:Nick Welch, Air Force

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Giddens (transfer from Kansas)

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Heath

PAC-10
G:Arron Afflalo, UCLA
G:Malik Hairston, Oregon
F:Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, UCLA
G:Mustafa Shakur, Arizona
F:Marcus Williams, Arizona
F:Nick Young, USC

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Chase Budinger, Arizona (freshman)

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Afflalo

SEC
F:Corey Brewer, Florida
C:Glen Davis, LSU
F:Al Horford, Florida
F:C-Joakim Noah, Florida
G:Chris Lofton, Tennessee
G:Ronald Steele, Alabama

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Ramar Smith, Tennessee (freshman)

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Joakim Noah, Florida

WAC
G-Ja'Vance Coleman, Fresno State
C-F Nick Fazekas, Nevada
G-Elijah Ingram, New Mexico State
G-Coby Karl, Boise State
G-Marcellus Kemp, Nevada
F-Tyrone Nelson, New Mexico State

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Fred Peete, New Mexico State (transfer from Kansas State)

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Fazekas

Dick Vitale coached the Pistons and the University of Detroit before broadcasting ESPN's first college basketball game in 1979. Send a question for Vitale for possible use on ESPNEWS.