Rose names Haws, Collinsworth and Fischer team captains
PROVO, Utah – BYU basketball coach Dave Rose announced today that senior Tyler Haws and juniors Kyle Collinsworth and Chase Fischer have been named captains for the 2014-15 season.
"I'm excited about the three guys we have selected as captains," Rose said. "They all bring different strengths to our team. I have confidence in this group and their ability to lead and communicate with their teammates and the coaching staff."
Haws, a 6-foot-5 senior guard, is the reigning West Coast Conference Player of Year after leading the league and finishing sixth in the nation in scoring at 23.2 points per game. The Alpine, Utah, native also earned AP All-America honorable mention honors and all-district recognition from the USBWA, NABC and Basketball Times.
Entering his third year as a team captain, Haws has etched his name in the BYU record book. He is currently fifth all-time in scoring in program history with 1,944 career points, 655 points behind the all-time leader Jimmer Fredette. Haws is the all-time leader in free throw percentage and among the top-10 in free throws made, 20-point games, 30-point games and games scoring in double figures. He is also only the second Cougar to be among the nation’s top 10 in scoring in consecutive seasons.
Collinsworth, a 6-foot-6 junior, is coming off a sophomore season in which he led the Cougars in rebounding (8.1) and assists (4.6) and was second in scoring (14.0) and steals (1.7). The do-everything guard was a captain a year ago and earned All-WCC and WCC All-Tournament honors. Collinsworth was among the league’s top five in rebounding, steals and assists.
The guard from Provo, Utah, was not only among the most versatile in the WCC, but also the country. Collinsworth was one of only two players to be ranked in the top-100 in the country in rebounding, assists and steals. He posted season highs of 23 points, 16 rebounds, eight assists and five steals. Collinsworth injured his right ACL in the WCC championship game against Gonzaga but is on track to play in the season opener on Nov. 14 against Long Beach State.
Fischer, a 6-foot-3 guard, enters his second year at BYU after sitting out the 2013-14 season due to NCAA transfer rules. The Ripley, West Virginia, native is a prolific outside shooter and vocal leader on the court. Prior to coming to Provo, Fischer played two seasons at Wake Forest where he was a team captain as a sophomore and averaged 4.3 points while shooting 42.2 percent from downtown.
Before playing at Wake Forest, Fischer enjoyed a storied prep career at Ripley High School. In 2011 he was a first-team Parade All-American and the Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year for the state of West Virginia. A four-year starter, Fischer finished his high school career with 2,210 points – 10th all-time in the state.
Fans will have two chances to preview the 2014-15 Cougars before exhibition play starts on Nov. 1 against Colorado School of Mines. On Friday, Oct. 17, in the Smith Fieldhouse, BYU basketball will host Boom Shakalaka: The BYU Basketball Showcase. The event will include a 3-point shootout, a skills challenge and a dunk contest and will be televised live on BYUtv. On Oct. 29, the Cougars will participate in the annual Cougar Tipoff in the Marriott Center.