Hawai'i senior Brittany Grice's status as a premier defensive player in the Western Athletic Conference was reaffirmed by her repeat as a member of the all-conference defensive unit announced yesterday.

Grice, a 6-foot-4 shot-blocking center, was selected by a vote of the conference coaches, who also voted UH forward Tanya Smith to the first team for the first time. On the men's side, Hawai'i's Matt Lojeski was a second-team all-conference pick and UH center Ahmet Gueye was named to the all-defensive team.

But the looming question is whether Grice will be on the floor for Wednesday's opening-round game of the conference tournament as UH (15-13) attempts to end a three-year streak of first-round losses.

Grice has missed the last two games with what has been described as an injury to her lower left leg, and acting head coach Pat Charity said Grice's availability for the game against Fresno State (17-12) won't be determined until tomorrow's practice in Las Cruces, N.M. UH did not practice yesterday after arriving at the tournament site from Boise, Idaho, and Charity said Grice will be held out of today's scheduled practice.

"She'll give it a shot Tuesday and see how she does," Charity said. "We've just been trying to keep her off her ankle and off her foot and see how she feels."

Grice was UH's leading scorer (15) and rebounder (7) in the last meeting with Fresno State, a 79-65 win at the Stan Sheriff Center three weeks ago. UH and Fresno State have split their two meetings. Grice is averaging 7.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game and leads the conference in blocks (38), an average of 1.8 per game.

Smith, a 6-foot-3 junior from Australia, is UH's first all-conference first-team selection since Jade Abele in 2003-04. Smith has been UH's leading scorer (14) and rebounder (10.4). She leads the WAC in field-goal percentage (.571) and has eight double-doubles, including four in the last five games.

A UH spokesman said head coach Jim Bolla will not attend the tournament. Bolla has been recuperating since a Feb. 5 operation in which surgeons removed a portion of his right lung.

Lojeski was a two-way asset for the Rainbow Warriors, averaging 16.8 points per game and taking on opponents' high-scoring guards. He scored a career high 35 points in 92-75 regular-season ending victory over Boise State and was named WAC Player of the Week. Lojeski averaged 27.5 points in the final week sweep of Idaho and Boise State.

Gueye finished second in the conference in blocked shots (2.17 per game) and sixth in defensive rebounding (5.3 per game) and led in offensive rebounds (3.24). He averaged 12.3 points per game.

ALL-WAC TEAMS

MEN

2006-07 All-Western Athletic Conference Team

All-Conference

First Team

Coby Karl, Boise State

Nick Fazekas, Nevada

Marcelus Kemp, Nevada

Justin Hawkins, New Mexico State

Jaycee Carroll, Utah State

Second Team

Quinton Hosley, Fresno State

Dominic McGuire, Fresno State

Matt Lojeski, Hawai'i

Trey McDowell, Louisiana Tech

Ramon Sessions, Nevada

Player of the Year: Nick Fazekas, Nevada

Freshman of the Year: Anthony Thomas, Boise State

Don Haskins Coach of the Year: Mark Fox, Nevada

All-Defensive Team

Eric Lane, Boise State

Dominic McGuire, Fresno State

Ahmet Gueye, Hawai'i

Kyle Shiloh, Nevada

Fred Peete, New Mexico State

All-Newcomer Team

Reggie Larry, Boise State

Matt Nelson, Boise State

Dominic McGuire, Fresno State

Justin Hawkins, New Mexico State

Fred Peete, New Mexico State

WOMEN

2006-07 All-Western Athletic Conference Team

All-Conference

First Team

Dellena Criner, Nevada

Shan Moore, Louisiana Tech

Ty Moore, Louisiana Tech

Chantella Perera, Fresno State

Tanya Smith, Hawai'i

Jessica Thompson, Boise State

Second Team

Traci Graham, Nevada

Michelle Hessing, Boise State

Katie Madison, Idaho

Sherell Neal, New Mexico State

Tierre Wilson, Fresno State

Player of the Year: Shan Moore, Louisiana Tech

Newcomer of the Year: Katie Madison, Idaho

Coach of the Year: Gordy Presnell, Boise State

All-Defensive Team

Amber Metoyer, Louisiana Tech

Dellena Criner, Nevada

Brittany Grice, Hawai'i

Ty Moore, Louisiana Tech

Sherell Neal, New Mexico State

All-Freshman Team

Shanavia Dowdell, Louisiana Tech

Marianne Lombardi, Nevada

Katie Madison, Idaho

Charlotte Otero, Idaho

Brittany Powell, San Jose State

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com.