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Basketball Times names Bearcats’ Witthus, McCollum as best in Division II

The Basketball Times has honored Joey Witthus as its NCAA Division II player of the year and head coach Ben McCollum as its NCAA Division II coach of the year.

Witthus (Chanhassen, Minnesota) averaged a team-best 21.1 points per game and shot 50.9 percent from the field. He scored a Northwest single-season record 780 points. He also set the Bearcat single-season mark for three-pointers made (114). Witthus earned MIAA Player of the Year status and was the Most Outstanding Player at the 2019 MIAA Tournament.

McCollum guided Northwest to its second NCAA Division II national title in three years. He led the Bearcats to an NCAA Division II tying mark of 38 victories. Northwest became only the fifth Division II team to complete a perfect season and capture the national championship. Over the past three seasons, McCollum and the Bearcats have posted 100 victories against only five defeats.

NCAA Division II All-Americans
Joey Witthus, Northwest Missouri State – Player of the Year
Ben McCollum, Northwest Missouri State – Coach of the Year

First Team
Jacobo Diaz, Indiana (Pa.)                               6-9       Sr.
Tim Guers, Saint Anselm (N.H.)                      6-3       Sr.
Amir Hinton, Shaw (N.C.)                               6-5       Jr.
Will Vorhees, Notre Dame (O.)                        6-8       Sr.
Joey Witthus, Northwest Missouri State          6-7       Sr.

Second Team
Tommy Bolte, Concord (W. Va.)                     6-1       Sr.
Gage Davis, St. Cloud (Minn.)                         6-4       Sr.
Adam Eberhard, Bellarmine (Ky.)                   6-8       Sr.
Kendale McCullum, Lewis (Ill.)                      6-1       Sr.
Marquill Smith, West Georgia                          6-4       Sr.

Third Team
Dalton Bolon, West Liberty (W. Va.)               6-4       Soph.
Beau Justice, Valdosta State (Ga.)                   6-2       Sr.
Jonathan Lawton, Florida Southern                 6-2       Sr.
Matt Mathews, Nova Southeastern (Fla.)        6-6       Jr.
Ryan Quaid, West Texas A&M                        6-6       Sr.

Missouri’s Cunningham earns USBWA All-America honor

ST. LOUIS – Mizzou Women’s Basketball senior guard Sophie Cunningham (Columbia, Mo.) was named to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) All-America Third Team, as announced Tuesday. Cunningham is the first player in program history to earn USBWA All-America recognition.

It is the second All-America honor in as many days for Cunningham, who was named to the Associated Press All-America Third Team on Monday.

Cunningham earned AP All-America Honorable Mention honors after outstanding sophomore and junior campaigns. Cunningham was recently named to her third straight All-SEC First Team by the league’s coaches, becoming the first player in program history to earn All-Conference First Team honors in three consecutive seasons. In addition, she was named to the All-SEC First Team by the AP for the second straight season.

Cunningham closed her Mizzou career as Mizzou’s all-time scoring leader, finishing her historic career with 2,187 points. Among program records, Cunningham also ranks first in free throws made (537), second in three-pointers made (238), third in three-point percentage (40.3), third in free throw percentage (83.9), fourth in points per game (17.0) and fourth in assists (390).

In her senior campaign, Cunningham was the only player to average 17.0 ppg, make 80 three-pointers, make 150 free throws and record 200 rebounds. ). In conference play, Cunningham led the SEC in three-point shooting (46.5 percent) and threes per game (2.9). She reached 20 points in 16 games this season, including 10 times against SEC opponents, and 30 points four times.

Cunningham earned SEC All-Tournament Team honors after averaging 25.3 ppg and 5.3 rpg at the SEC Tournament, as she became the first Mizzou player to earn All-Tournament honors since 1994.

— Mizzou Athletics —

Northwest’s Keeney named MIAA Hitter of the Week

Northwest Missouri State junior infielder Erin Keeney has been named the MIAA Hitter of the Week for her performance for the Bearcats.

Keeney (Blue Springs, Mo.) batted .615 with three home runs and nine RBI as Northwest went 3-1. Keeney had a hit in four games. Keeney tallied eight hits in 13 at-bats and had a 1.385 slugging percentage.

Keeney began the week by going 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI in a 5-3 win over Missouri S&T. Keeney then went 3-for-4 in an extra-inning loss at Missouri S&T.

Keeney went 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs scored and a home run in a 15-2 five-inning win over Lincoln.

Keeney blasted a grand slam in a 15-0 five-inning win over Lincoln in the second game of the doubleheader.

— Northwest Athletics —

MIAA announces 2019 Hall of Fame Class

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The MIAA announced the names of the Hall of Fame Class for 2019. The class consists of 10 student-athletes and one coach. Below are bios of each inductee for this year’s class

The Hall of Fame induction will be at the MIAA Awards Ceremony presented by Husch Blackwell, on Monday, June 3, 2019, in the Truman Forum Auditorium at the Kansas City Public Library – Plaza Branch, 4801 Main Street in Kansas City, Mo. 

MIAA Hall of Fame Class of 2019 Inductees
Erin Alewine – Central Missouri 
Women’s Track and Field Student-Athlete (2010-2014)
Alewine was a two-time national champion and 12-time All-American for the Jennies. She earned her national titles during the 2013 and 2014 seasons in the pentathlon then All-American accolades in the pentathlon, heptathlon, high jump, and long jump. Alewine was a three-time MIAA Champion and 11-time All-MIAA performer. In 2014, she was the USTFCCCA Central Region Field Athlete of the Year. Academically, Alewine was the 2013 and 2014 USTFCCCA Indoor Track Scholar-Athlete of the Year and was a four-time recipient of the USTFCCCA All-Academic, MIAA Scholar-Athlete, and MIAA Academic Honor Roll awards. 

Clarence “Gene” Iba – Pittsburg State
Men’s Basketball Coach (1996-2010)
Gene Iba led the resurgence of the Pittsburg State men’s basketball program during a decorated 15-year tenure as the Gorillas head coach (1996-2010). He led the Gorillas to the school’s first NCAA National Tournament appearance in 1997 – reaching the NCAA Sweet 16 – and five overall berths in the national tournament (1997, 1998, 1999, 2005, 2007). Iba also led the Gorillas to their first MIAA regular season title and to a No. 1 national ranking in 1999, earning MIAA Coach of the Year honor that year. His squads compiled 72 victories in a three-year span between 1997 and 1999, the best three-year win total in program history. In all, Iba compiled a 261-172 (.603) record at PSU and amassed a 487-374 (.566) overall record including coaching stints at Houston Baptist (1978-85) and Baylor (1986-92).

Bill Jolly – Missouri S&T
Men’s Basketball Student-Athlete (1989-93)
Jolly finished his playing career with the Miners’ as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,920 points, which currently still stands, and ranks sixth on the MIAA’s all-time list. He was named to the NABC and Division II Bulletin All-America team following the 1992-93 season when he led the MIAA in scoring with an average of 22.4 points per game. Jolly led UMR in scoring in each of his last three seasons – where he was an All-MIAA selection in each of them as well as an all-region pick in the last two. He averaged 22.5 points as a junior and 18.6 points a game in his sophomore year. In the Miner history books, he ranks first in career three-pointers (286) and free-throws made (514); his 605 points scored as a senior is the second-most in school history. In addition, Jolly’s 560 career field goals rank fifth, 251 assists are sixth and 122 steals are eighth on the school’s all-time list. In the final three seasons of his UMR career, he averaged 21.1 points per game and scored 30 or more points on 10 occasions. 

Jenni (Miller) Croy – Pittsburg State
Women’s Basketball Student-Athlete (1994-97)
Jenni (Miller) Croy completed a decorated four-year basketball career with 364 3-point field goals – the second-highest total in the history of the NCAA women’s game at the time. Her average of 3.28 3-pointers per game, 364 in 111 career games, stood as the best average of any four-year player in the history of the women’s game at the time. Miller garnered honorable mention NCAA Division II All-America honors from DII Bulletin as a senior in 1997, when she averaged 17.8 points per game. She finished her collegiate career as a four-time All-MIAA performer, earning first-team All-MIAA honors as a senior in 1997. Miller also eclipsed the PSU scoring record during her senior season, finishing her career with 1,809 points (16.3 ppg). She helped the Gorilla capture an MIAA regular season title in 1996 and make two appearances in the NCAA Division II National Tournament in 1995 and 1997. Following her senior season in 1997, she was selected as one of eight competitors in the 1997 NCAA Women’s National 3-Point Shootout in Indianapolis.

Nikki Olberding-Greenwalt – Washburn
Women’s Basketball Student-Athlete (1994-98)
Olberding-Greenwalt finished her career as a 1998 All-American after scoring 498 points as a senior. Her career points total of 1,811 was third on Washburn’s all-time chart after averaging 16.2 points per game for her career, which she started 107 of 112 games. She was also a three-time, First-Team All-MIAA selection. Olberding-Greenwalt is second on the all-time Washburn chart with 384 free throws made and percentage (.831). Her .876 free throw percentage as a senior is the best mark in school history as she hit 141 of 161 including a then-MIAA record of 36 straight. Olberding-Greenwalt was also a two-time All-MIAA Academic team member. As a freshman, she was named the MIAA’s Newcomer of the Year. As a senior, she was the winner of the MIAA’s Ken B. Jones Award for the outstanding women’s student-athlete of the year.

Jessica Selby-Tallman – Missouri Southern
Women’s Track and Field Student-Athlete (2004-09)
The most decorated female thrower in MSSU history, Selby-Tallman was an eight-time NCAA Division II All-American and finished her career with a National Championship in the hammer throw in 2008. She was also a two-time national runner-up in the shot put. Selby-Tallman dominated the MIAA in the throws, winning four outdoor MIAA shot put titles, four indoor MIAA titles, three MIAA hammer throw titles, and one weight throw championship. She was a three-time MSSU Female Athlete of the Year winner and holds the school record for the outdoor shot put, as well as the hammer throw. Selby-Tallman also owns the facility records for the indoor and outdoor shot put. She was the USTFCCCA National Outdoor Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2008 and was a two-time Academic All-American. In her career, Selby-Tallman was an 11-time MIAA Champion, a two-time Academic All-American, the 2008 MIAA Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year, 2008 Ken B. Jones Finalist and earned multiple MIAA Academic Honors.

Melissa Stevens – Emporia State
Softball Student-Athlete (2003-06)
Stevens is the MIAA’s career leader in wins (103) and strikeouts (1,034). She is also the only pitcher in the association’s history with 100 wins and holds the ESU school record with a 0.89 ERA which ranks ninth in MIAA history In 2006, Stevens was an NFCA First-Team All-American and the MIAA Pitcher of the Year with 328 strikeouts. That season she also led ESU to a national runner-up finish in the NCAA Division II World Series with a record of 62-7 an MIAA record. Stevens was named Third-Team NFCA All-American as a junior in 2005 and was a three-time First-Team All-MIAA selection in 2006, 2005, 2004 along with being the 2003 MIAA Freshman of the Year. She was two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2005 and 2006, a three-time NFCA National Scholar-Athlete, an MIAA Scholar-Athlete, and an MIAA Academic Honor Roll member.

Michelle (Stueve) Corpening – Emporia State
Women’s Basketball Student-Athlete (2004-08)
Stueve is the all-time leading scorer in MIAA Women’s Basketball history with 2,403 career points and currently ranks fourth in MIAA history with 1,040 rebounds. She is the only Lady Hornet and just one of three MIAA players all-time with 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. Stueve was a three-time WBCA First-Team All-American and was the 2008 MIAA MVP. She ranks second and sixth in single-season scoring in MIAA history with 777 points as a sophomore and 674 points as a senior and is the only player to appear in the top ten twice. Stueve led the Lady Hornets to NCAA Tournament each of her four years and advanced to 2006 NCAA Division II Elite Eight. Academically, she was a 2008 CoSIDA Academic All-American, three-time CoSIDA All-District selection, four-time MIAA Scholar-Athlete, and MIAA Academic Honor Roll.

Bob Sundell – Northwest Missouri 
Men’s Basketball and Track and Field Student-Athlete (1986-89)
In Men’s Basketball, Sundell was a three-time All-MIAA selection with First-Team honors in 1989. In his career, he scored 1,082 points and grabbed 574 rebounds. In career rankings in Bearcat history, he is tied for seventh in total rebounds, blocks (43) and blocks per game (0.5). For season rankings, Sundell is third in field goal percentage (60.3) and tied for eighth in blocking average (0.9 blocks per game). During his track and field career, he ranks first in the outdoor high jump with a mark of 7’5” and is tied for fifth in the indoor high jump at 6’10.25”. Sundell was a three-time outdoor All-American(1987-89), one-time indoor All-American (1987) and one-time First-Team Academic All-American (1989). He also owns seven of the top-10 high jump marks in Northwest history and competed in the 1988 U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials.

Brent Vogel – Central Missouri
Men’s Track and Field Student-Athlete (2009-2013)
Vogel was a two-time national champion for the Mules with a gold medal in the Heptathlon (2013) and Decathlon (2011). His score of 5,760 in the heptathlon was, at the time, an NCAA record. He was also an eight-time All-American with three distinctions each in the heptathlon and decathlon and two in the 4×400 meter relay. Vogel still holds the UCM record in the heptathlon and ranks second in the decathlon with 7,462 points. He was an eight-time MIAA Champion and was the 2013 USTFCCCA Indoor National Field Athlete of the Year. In 2013, Vogel was the NCAA Division II Track and Field/Cross Country Capital One Academic All-American of the Year. He was twice named the USTFCCCA Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year (2011 and 2013) and was the 2011 USTFCCA Outdoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Vogel earned four USTFCCCA All-Academic Awards and was the 2013 MIAA Ken B. Jones Winner. 

Legacy Inductee
O.K. “Dimp” Evans – William Jewell
Football/Baseball/Tennis/Basketball/Track and Field (1917-20)
O.K. Evans was one of only two WJC athletes to letter in five sports in a single year (1918-19). These sports included: football, basketball, baseball, track and tennis. He was the conference singles champion in tennis twice and the doubles champion (with partner Myers Mayberry) once. He played halfback in football and was the Cardinals leading scorer in basketball. He led the conference championship baseball team in batting average in 1920 with a .490 average.

Full bios will be available online following their induction into the MIAA Hall of Fame at the June 3 event.

Day’s walk-off HR lifts Griffons past Central Oklahoma 7-6

ST. JOSEPH – It took a lot of back-and-forth to get there, but Missouri Western’s Brooks Day ended it quickly. The senior infielder rifled a 1-0 pitch just inside the left field foul pole for a leadoff, walk-off home run on Monday against Central Oklahoma as MWSU beat the Bronchos 7-6 at the Griffon Spring Sports Complex.

Griffon baseball (13-13, 10-8) held the lead three different times and UCO (18-11, 11-7) twice tied and twice took the lead from the Griffons before Day’s blast in the ninth ended the tussle and salvaged a win in the three-game series for the home team.

NOTABLES

  • Casey Danley drove in Conrad McMahon on a ground out in the third to put the Griffs up 1-0
  • UCO tied the game in the fourth with an RBI triple
  • A Kyle Snuttjer single in the bottom of the fourth put the Griffs up 2-1
  • The Bronchos took over the lead with a three-run fifth inning
  • An RBI double by Jordan Jackson got the Griffs within one in the fifth, but UCO answered with another run in the top of the sixth
  • A two-out, pinch hit double down the left field line by Josh Robinson drove in two to tie the game at five in the seventh
  • McMahon saved a run in the eighth when he threw a runner out at home after catching a fly ball
  • Dusty Stroup doubled with two-out in the eighth and Jordan Jackson drove him in to put MWSU up 6-5, but UCO answered again, tying the game in the top of the ninth
  • Day hit the game-winner on the second pitch thrown in the bottom of the ninth

LEADERS

  • Stroup finished 4-for-5 at the plate with a double and three runs
  • McMahon was 3-for-5 with a run scored and a stolen base
  • Jackson was 2-for-4 with two RBIs
  • Day went 2-for-4 with two runs scored
  • Carson Dwyre (1-2) picked up the win, pitching the final three innings. He gave up two hits and one run, struck out two and walked two

UP NEXT

  • A three-game series at Emporia State (18-11, 12-6), April 5-7
  • The Hornets just came off dropping two of three to Missouri Southern at home.

— MWSU Athletics —

Bearcats complete three-game sweep of Washburn

MARYVILLE, Missouri – The Northwest Missouri State University baseball squad completed a three-game series sweep of the visiting Washburn Ichabods with a pair of victories on Monday at the Bearcat Baseball Field.

Northwest pounded out 17 more hits in the second game of the series and rallied for a 16-11 victory. The Bearcats closed out the three-game set with a 7-5 triumph. Northwest has won six straight games vs. Washburn dating back to the 2018 season.

GAME ONE
Peter Carlson’s fifth-inning grand slam ignited the offense after Washburn starter Jacob Head had allowed only four hits through the first four innings.

Following a nine-run fifth, Washburn retook the lead with a five-spot in the in the top of the sixth to knot the game at 9-9. Washburn added two more in the seventh to take an 11-9 lead.

The Bearcats tallied six run in the bottom half of the seventh to seize control of the contest.

Mondesi Gutierrez posted a four-hit game and Connor Quick notched a three-hit performance.

GAME TWO
Calvin Rudolph took his turn on the grand slam tour with a blast in the fifth to give Northwest a 5-3 lead.

Washburn evened the game at 5-5 in the sixth.

Northwest’s relief corps took over and did not allow a run in the final three innings. Jay Hrdlicka took care of the offense with a one-out, two-run single in the seventh.

Senior Trevor Dudar closed the door in the ninth picking up his team-leading sixth save of the season.

Northwest will be back in action home Friday-Sunday with a three-game set against Fort Hays State. Friday’s game will begin at 3 p.m., followed by a 2 p.m. start on Saturday and a 1 p.m. first pitch on Sunday.

NOTES: Quick has reached base in 13 straight games – one away from his season-best streak of 14 set earlier in the year … Quick leads the squad with 14 multi-hit contests … Derek Hussey has tallied 13 multi-hit games … Northwest has outscored the opposition in the ninth inning this season, 27-3.

— Northwest Athletics —

MWSU softball splits doubleheader with Lindenwood

ST. JOSEPH – Griffon Softball (18-14, 5-5) battled back to take the first game of a doubleheader with Lindenwood (17-11, 6-8) Monday night, but one rough inning put a sweep out of reach.

Missouri Western trailed 3-0 in game one, before getting the offense going late to win game one 6-3. In game two, Lindenwood broke things open with eight runs in the fifth and sixth innings – five in the fifth – to win 9-3.

GAME 1
Missouri Western 6, Lindenwood 3

  • A three-run fourth by the Griffs tied the game at three
  • Emma Hoffart put the first MWSU run on the board, scoring on a throwing error by the Lindenwood catcher following an infield single by Shelby Uhl
  • With the bases loaded and two out, Brea Blanton singled to center to drive in two more in the fourth
  • Sydni Hawkins put the Griffs up 5-3 with a double to left center
  • Morgan Frost drove in an insurance run in the sixth with a double down the left field line
  • Lexi Kinnaird worked around some early trouble to move to 4-3 with her second-straight win. She gave up three runs on six hits through seven innings with four strikeouts and two walks
  • Hoffart was 3-for-4 with two runs
  • Blanton was 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBIs

Game 2
Lindenwood 9, Missouri Western 3

  • After Blanton hit a leadoff homer in the first, the Griffons had a hard time getting runs in against Lindenwood starter Stormee Galka
  • A 1-1 game after four innings, Lindenwood broke it open with five in the fifth, aided by two Griffon errors
  • MWSU committed its third error of the game in a three-run sixth inning for Lindenwood
  • Facing a run-rule shortened loss, the Griffons rallied for two in the bottom of the sixth
  • Gabi Carter got the rally going with a leadoff double and Hawkins drove in Tamara Hicks who was running for Carter with a double of her own two batters later
  • Cassidy Kelsheimer made the first out of the inning productive with a sacrifice fly, but the next two batters were retired
  • MWSU had three doubles and a home run in the game and left seven runners stranded
  • Kenzie Hilzer took the loss, giving up all nine runs on 11 hits through six innings. She struck out four and walked one

UP NEXT

  • A home doubleheader at 4 p.m. against Lincoln (4-28, 1-13) on Tuesday
  • The Blue Tigers were outscored 30-2 in a doubleheader at Northwest Missouri on Monday.

— MWSU Athletics —

Northwest Missouri State softball scores 30 runs in two wins over Lincoln

MARYVILLE, Missouri – The Northwest Missouri State University softball squad pounded out a pair of five-inning victories over the visiting Lincoln Blue Tigers on Monday.

Northwest tallied 19 hits in the opener in a 15-2 win. The Bearcats added 14 more hits in a 15-0 victory in the nightcap. After playing their first 19 games on the road or neutral fields, Monday marked the home opener for the Bearcats.

Game One
Northwest was the first to score in the bottom of the second with a two-run homer from Grace Ruehle to put the Bearcats up, 2-0.

Lincoln answered in the top of the third with a two-run blast from Camryn Pryor to tie the game, 2-2.

Kaitlyn Weis started heating things up in the third with a homer to left center. Shortly after, Karli Allen hit a three-run homer to center. Olivia Daugherty hit an RBI bringing in Ady Watts to score, pushing the Bearcat lead to 7-2.

Lincoln couldn’t answer as the Bearcats went on to score eight more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Erin Keeney got things rolling with a homer to right field. Sydne Brashear doubled to center field, bringing in Kiana Baderdeen. Allen hit a single to right center, scoring Brashear. Daugherty doubled in Ruehle to keep the Bearcat offense rolling. Keeney doubled to left field, allowing Weis and Jaedra Moses to score. Baderdeen hit for the second time in the inning and tallied an RBI to give Northwest a 15-2 victory.

Northwest starter Rachel Smith picked up the victory and is 2-6 on the year. Smith allowed six hits and two runs, while striking out five.

Game Two
The second game was much of the same story. Northwest got on the board first with Olivia Daugherty scoring first off a single from Jaedra Moses. Kiana Baderdeen singled up the middle bringing in Moses to score. Baderdeen stole second and then advanced to third on an error by the shortstop. Sydne Brashear got an RBI, allowing Baderdeen to score to put the Bearcats up 3-0.

In the second inning, Erin Keeney hit a grand slam to add to the scoring show. Karli Allen got an RBI bringing in Baderdeen to score. Jaclyn Weydert singled and advanced to second on an error by the right fielder, allowing Allen and Brashear to score. Daugherty singled to left field bringing in Weydert and Ruehle to the plate and advancing the Bearcat lead to 12-0.

Allen hit another three-run homer in the bottom of the third to secure the Bearcat win, 15-0.

Northwest pitcher Regan Thompson tossed a three-hit shutout in the five-inning victory. Thompson struck out seven batters and walked none. Thompson moves to 3-5 on the season.

The Bearcats move to 7-14 overall and will be back in action Tuesday in Maryville with another doubleheader against Lindenwood starting at 1 p.m.

NOTES: Olivia Daugherty went 6-of-8 in the doubleheader with two doubles and four RBI … Erin Keeney belted two home runs and tallied seven RBI vs. Lincoln … Karli Allen crushed two home runs and posted eight RBI as she went 4-for-6 in the doubleheader … Sydne Brashear went 5-for-6 with four runs scored … Grace Ruehle went 2-for-4 with two walks and four runs scored … Northwest hit .569 in the doubleheader (33-of-58).

— Northwest Athletics —

Northwest’s McCollum named NABC Division II Coach of the Year

KANSAS CITY (April 3, 2019) – For the second time in three seasons, Northwest Missouri State University head men’s basketball coach Ben McCollum is the recipient of the NABC Division II Coach of the Year Award presented by Wilson after leading the Bearcats to the 2019 NCAA Division II championship.

Northwest Missouri State topped Point Loma Nazarene University, 64-58, on Saturday in Evansville, Ind., to take the national title and complete a remarkable unbeaten season with a 38-0 record. The Bearcats also won the NCAA championship in 2017 with a 71-61 win over Fairmont State, dropping just one out their 36 games played. Over the past three seasons, McCollum has guided the Bearcats to a remarkable record of 100-5.

A former Bearcat standout as a player, McCollum completed his 10th season as head coach and his teams have an overall record of 241-75 with six Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association regular season championships.

McCollum will receive his award on Sunday, April 7, at the annual AT&T NABC Guardians of the Game awards show in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Main Auditorium at the Minneapolis Convention Center during the NABC Convention and NCAA Men’s Final Four®.

— Northwest Athletics —

Mizzou’s Cunningham earns Third Team All-America honors

NEW YORK – Mizzou Women’s Basketball senior guard Sophie Cunningham (Columbia, Mo.) was named to the Associated Press All-America Third Team, announced Monday. Cunningham is the program’s first AP All-American.

Cunningham earned AP All-America Honorable Mention honors after outstanding sophomore and junior campaigns. Cunningham was recently named to her third straight All-SEC First Team by the league’s coaches, the first player in program history to earn All-Conference First Team honors in three consecutive seasons. In addition, she was named to the All-SEC First Team by the AP for the second straight season.

Cunningham closed her Mizzou career as Mizzou’s all-time scoring leader, finishing her historic career with 2,187 points. Among program records, Cunningham also ranks first in free throws made (537), second in three-pointers made (238), third in three-point percentage (40.3), third in free throw percentage (83.9), fourth in points per game (17.0) and fourth in assists (390).

In her senior campaign, Cunningham was the nation’s only player to average 17.0 ppg, make 80 three-pointers, make 150 free throws and record 200 rebounds. In conference play, Cunningham led the SEC in three-point shooting (46.5 percent) and threes per game (2.9). She reached 20 points in 16 games this season, including 10 times against SEC opponents, and 30 points four times.

Cunningham earned SEC All-Tournament honors after averaging 25.3 ppg and 5.3 rpg at the SEC Tournament, as she became the first Mizzou player to earn All-Tournament honors since 1994.

— Mizzou Athletics —

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