Fresno Pacific Athletics

FPU's head coach Jim Saia led this year's Sunbird squad to a record setting season which was capped off by the team winning their first GSAC title since the 1994-95 campaign.

The 2008-2009 team set a number of program records including; total wins (25), highest national ranking (#6), longest winning streak (14 games), and most points scored in a single game (122).

The Sunbirds were able to break into the top 25 early in the season debuting at #14. On the coattails of a 14 game winning streak, Fresno Pacific was able to get into the top 10 at #8 and eventually moved up to as high as #6 in the country.

FPU dominated GSAC competition this year and finished with an unprecendented 17-3 final conference record (26-8 overall) and had solidified the conference championship with two games still left to play.

Having won the regular season GSAC Championship, the Sunbirds automatically qualified for the NAIA National Tournament and faced the #24 Bulldogs of Tougaloo College (21-10) in the first round.
A last second tip-in basket by Sylvestre Collins of Tougaloo College ended FPU's historic season with the Sunbirds losing in a heartbreaker at the buzzer 69-67 in the opening round.

Junior guard James Lewis Jr. was named as an NAIA First-Team All-American, while junior forward Todd Brown received Third-Team All-American honors while senior forward/guard Marcus West was recognized with an Honorable Mention. The three FPU standouts were also selected to the All-GSAC team.

In addition, coach Saia received GSAC coach of the year honors for his work with this year's FPU team.

Congratulations to the Sunbirds men's basketball team and the coaching staff for an historic season!