After leading Northwest Missouri State to a share of the MIAA regular season championship, head coach Ben McCollum was named MIAA Coach of the Year as all-conference honors were announced by the league office on Tuesday.
McCollum, in his third-year at the helm of the Bearcats, earned his first Coach of the Year honors, leading Northwest to a 21-5 record overall and a 15-5 finish in the conference.
Along with McCollum, junior guard DeShaun Cooper was named to the All-MIAA First-Team after leading the league in free throw shooting. Cooper also led Northwest in scoring, steals and assists, helping guide the Bearcats to their 12th league title and first since the 2006-07 season.
Senior Jake Reinders was named to the All-MIAA Second Team. Reinders shot over 60 percent from the field and averaged over six rebounds per game. Reinders was also named to the All-MIAA Defensive Team finishing with 24 blocks on the season.
DeAngelo Hailey and Kyle Haake were named to the Honorable Mention All-MIAA Team – the first conference honors for both. Haake was near the top of the league in three-point shooting and free throw percentage while Hailey shot 83 percent from the free throw line and 42 percent from behind the three-point line.
The league’s leading scorer Keane Thomann was named Player of the Year while Matt Simmons of Fort Hays State was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year. Seth Jackson of Truman State earned Freshman of the Year accolades to round out the player of the year awards.
Missouri Southern and Northwest Missouri led the league with four All-MIAA selections apiece, followed by Central Missouri, Fort Hays State, Pittsburg State and Washburn with three each, Missouri Western, Southwest Baptist and Truman with two each, and Emporia State and Lincoln with one apiece.
The MIAA Centennial Basketball Championships begin Thursday at Municipal Auditorium in Downtown Kansas City, with the men taking the floor on Friday. Men’s award winners and All-MIAA First Team selections will be recognized prior to the 6 p.m. game Friday evening.
2011-12 ALL-MIAA MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Keane Thomann, Sr., C, Missouri Southern
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Matt Simmons, Sr., C, Fort Hays State
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Seth Jackson, G, Truman
COACH OF THE YEAR
Ben McCollum, Northwest Missouri
FIRST TEAM
Keane Thomann, Sr., C, Missouri Southern**
Will McNeill, Jr., G, Washburn**
DeShaun Cooper, Jr., G, Northwest Missouri
Ryan Dougherty, Sr., G, Southwest Baptist
Jason Adams, Sr., G/F, Missouri Southern [r1]
**Unanimous Selection
[r1] – Repeat first team selection from last season
SECOND TEAM
Dominique Long,Jr., F, Central Missouri
Boo Hunter, Sr., G, Central Missouri
Jake Reinders, Sr., F, Northwest Missouri
Andra Bailey, Sr., F, Pittsburg State
Matt Simmons, Sr., C, Fort Hays State
THIRD TEAM
Karron McKenzie, Sr., G/F, Fort Hays State
Lavonte Douglas, Sr., F, Missouri Western
Moses Dayee, Sr., G/F, Fort Hays State
Marquis Addison, So., G, Missouri Southern
Eric Ray, Sr., G, Pittsburg State
HONORABLE MENTION
Widgett Washington, Jr., G, Central Missouri
Tola Lawal, Sr., G, Emporia State
Cedric Ridle, Jr., G, Lincoln
Jordan Talbert, So., F, Missouri Southern
TJ Johnson, Sr., G, Missouri Western
Kyle Haake, Sr., G, Northwest Missouri
DeAngelo Hailey, Jr., G, Northwest Missouri
Javon McGee, Jr., C, Pittsburg State
Robson Memnon, Sr., F, Southwest Baptist
Seth Jackson, Fr., G, Truman
Tom Norton, Jr., G, Truman
Martin Mitchell, Jr., G, Washburn
Bobby Chipman, Jr., F, Washburn
ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
Matt Simmons, Sr., C, Fort Hays State
Ryan Dougherty, Sr., G, Southwest Baptist
Will McNeill, Jr., G, Washburn
Jake Reinders, Sr., F, Northwest Missouri
Andra Bailey, Sr., F, Pittsburg State
— NWMSU Sports Information —