[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5808]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




HONORING THE 2016-2017 GONZAGA BULLDOGS MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM AND THEIR 
                       REMARKABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

                                  _____
                                 

                      HON. CATHY McMORRIS RODGERS

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 12, 2017

  Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
achievements of the 2016-2017 Gonzaga University Bulldogs Men's 
Basketball Team. After a spectacular 37-2 season culminating in an 
appearance in the NCAA Championship game, we celebrate and reflect upon 
their success.
  This season once again demonstrated that Gonzaga men's basketball is 
one of the nation's elite programs. The Zags ended the regular season 
29-1, a run which included their 3rd Advocare Invitational 
Championship, a number one ranking, and their fifth West Coast 
Conference regular season championship in a row and 17th since 1999. 
They also continued their run of 19 straight NCAA. tournament 
appearances by winning the West Coast Conference Tournament 
Championship, their 15th since 1999 and fifth in a row. This year's 
NCAA Tournament was a watershed moment in the program's history. After 
hard-fought wins over South Dakota State, Northwestern, and West 
Virginia, the Zags defeated Xavier to reach their first Final Four in 
program history. And they capped it off, beating South Carolina in the 
Final Four to advance to their first NCAA Championship Game.
  Additionally, the individual accomplishments of this year's team are 
significant. Guard Nigel Williams-Goss was a standout on the court and 
in the classroom, becoming a consensus All-American for his performance 
on the court and an Academic All-American. Przemek Karnowski shattered 
the record for all-time wins in Men's Division I College Basketball by 
winning 137 games over the course of his career. Head Coach Mark Few, 
who has been a leader in our community in both basketball and service, 
capped his most successful season by becoming National Coach of the 
Year. These individual accolades serve to highlight the overall success 
by this team.
  I also want to recognize and congratulate all of the individuals who 
were so important in this year's success, including coaches Mark Few, 
Tommy Lloyd, Donny Daniels, and Brian Michaelson and all of their 
staff; Director of Basketball Operations John Jakus; Athletic Director 
Mike Roth; The Gonzaga University Administration, board of trustees, 
and President Thayne McCulloh; and athletes Przemek Karnowski, Nigel 
Williams-Goss, Jordan Mathews, Johnathan Williams III, Josh Perkins, 
Silas Melson, Zach Collins, Killian Tillie, Rui Hachimura, Bryan 
Alberts, Jeremy Jones, Dustin Triano, Ryan Edwards, Rem Bakamus, Jack 
Beach, Jacob Larsen, and Zack Norvell. All of them exemplify the team 
philosophy of hard work, personal sacrifice, and shared values. Their 
success is an inspiration.
  So today, I rise to recognize the Gonzaga Bulldogs Men's Basketball 
Team and the community that supports them--the current and former 
players, coaches, staff, students, administration, and fans. The 
Gonzaga Bulldogs have long been a model for excellence in college 
basketball, and have continuously exceeded expectations. We are 
grateful for their positive impact on Eastern Washington, and we look 
forward to their continued success.

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