Birtell, Smith earn All-GPAC honorable mention

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Concordia seniors Porter Birtell and Beau Smith have been named 2012-13 All-GPAC honorable mention selections, the conference announced Wednesday. For Birtell it is his fourth-straight all-conference honor. Smith also earned honorable mention recognition last season.

Birtell lands on honorable mention after an injury-riddled season in which he still managed to average 13.6 points per game and 5.2 rebounds in 20 games. He played throughout the season with a torn pectoral muscle and shin splints before ultimately missing the final eight games with a concussion.

Birtell, a native of Madison, Neb., was tabbed a first team all-conference choice as a junior, honorable mention as a sophomore and was a second team pick as a freshman. He finishes his career with 1,390 points and 712 rebounds in 101 games in a Bulldog uniform. He averaged 13.8 points and 7.0 rebounds and shot 61.8 percent from the field for his four-year career.

Smith improved significantly as a shooter in his second and final season at Concordia. The native of McKinney, Texas, averaged 12.9 points and a team high 6.1 rebounds in 24 games this season. He also shot 46.0 percent from the floor and 41.2 percent from 3-point range. Since transferring from the College of the Sequoias, Smith has totaled 648 points and 333 rebounds in 54 games in his two-year Bulldog career.