Gazette, The (Colorado Springs): Welch gets a birthday surprise

Air Force's Nick Welch had already planned a celebration for Tuesday, it being his 21st birthday and all.

When the sophomore center got word he had been named to The Associated Press honorable mention All-America team, things got more festive at the home of Welch's father in Tyler, Texas.

Welch had been staying there during spring break, and had planned to celebrate by playing blackjack and pulling a few slot machines at the casinos in Shreveport, La., about two hours east of Tyler.

The Associated Press All-America team is voted on by a 72-member media panel,

"You don't really expect something like that, especially on your birthday," said Welch, who became the fifth Air Force men's basketball player to earn All-American honors. "I planned on it being a great day anyway, but that's just icing on the cake."

Welch was Air Force's most consistent performer as the academy reeled off a record 22 wins, won its first Mountain West Conference regular season title and made its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 42 years.

The 6-foot-8 center, who grew up in Fort Worth, Texas, averaged a teamhigh 11.4 points and 4.0 rebounds, and was named the conference's co-player of the year with BYU center Rafael Araujo.

Welch scored in double figures in every conference game, and had a game-high 17 points in Air Force's loss to North Carolina in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament last week at Pepsi Center.

"It's just one of those things where you don't really think that it could ever be you," Welch said. "It just fulfills a huge dream to have a situation where I am named to that list. It's like every one of my childhood dreams are coming true."

Welch is the academy's first Associated Press All-American selection, and the first of any kind since Otis Jones was named an honorable mention All-American by the Basketball Times in 1995.

Raymond Dudley was a two-time honorable mention selection by the Basketball Times in 1989 and 1990, Bob Beckel was a Helms All- American in 1958 and 1959, and Cliff Parsons was a Helms All- American in 1968.

"He was really able to take our offense to a new level with his ability to shoot, to score in different ways, and all the while defending much bigger guys and doing a good job on them," assistant coach Chris Mooney said.

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