Redhawk MVP Garcia to receive contest-decided nickname

Leading the men's basketball team is the player some have called a "man among boys." This standout player, Charles "Chuck" Garcia, has scored a third of the points for the Seattle University men's basketball team so far this season.

In the first seven games of the season Garcia, a power forward, has scored 186 points, 106 points more than Aaron Broussard, who is second in scoring.

In honor of Garcia and the national attention he is attracting, the Athletic Department is promoting a nickname contest. The university will be making Garcia promotional T-shirts that will feature the winner of the nickname contest.

Chloe Spaith, the Athletic Department's promotions coordinator and graduate assistant, said the contest was created to recognize the talent Garcia is bringing to Seattle U.

"He is a hot item, [and the promotion] is to give him some credit for that," Spaith said.

Spaith referenced a spot on a recent radio show on FSN Northwest focusing on college basketball. The hosts mentioned the talents at Gonzaga University, University of Washington and University of Portland, without any mention of Seattle U.

When asked, the next host said it is time for college basketball fans to take a look at what the Redhawks are doing, calling Garcia the best player in the Pacific Northwest and for everyone to get on the "Chuck Garcia bandwagon."

The contest starts Dec. 2 and will be open to all students. The promotions team of the Athletic Department will accept entries through Dec. 9 at 5 p.m. Each student is allowed to submit one nickname. Students should e-mail their nickname ideas to spaithc@seattleu.edu.

The RedZone executive council will judge the entries and will choose the nickname they believe is the best and most impressionable. The winning nickname will be announced at the men's basketball game at KeyArena against University of California - Irvine Dec. 15.

Each contestant will win a free Garcia T-shirt with the winning nickname. The contest winner will take home an Xbox 360.