MIAA Conference Awards

[ichabodhater]

As we get to the end of another MIAA basketball season here are my selections for 1st, 2nd, & 3rd team honors as well as individual award winners for both the men & women. Feel free to let me know your thoughts!

WOMEN

Freshman of the Year is Anna Trusty (Ft Smith) with Taylor Weishaar (UCM) right behind her. Ft Smith has just had a more successful season overall with Trusty being the best player on their team so she gets the edge but Weishaar has been just as good.
Player of the Year is Karenna Gerber (Pitt) with Olivia Hollenbeck (FHSU) right behind her. If hays ends up winning the league then maybe Hollenbeck as both of them are big keys to their teams but Gerber in my opinion is just slightly more important to any chance of success for the gorillas.
Defensive Player of the Year is Alyssa Bonilla (MWSU) as she leads the conference in steals but more than that she just pests the hell out of opposing point guards & surprisingly is a really good defensive rebounder for her 5'4" size.
Coach of the Year is Ryan McAdams (Ft Smith) as they were projected by both the media & coaches to finish 12th in their new league & will end up with a top 6 finish. Watching them play at Emporia this year I was very impressed with the scheme they put out on the floor. If he gets some better athletes then the rest of the league will regret having to play them yearly.

1st Team is Alyssa Bonilla (MWSU), Reese Schaaf (UCM), Karenna Gerber (PITT), Olivia Hollenbeck (FHSU), & Yiibari Nwidadah (WASH)
2nd Team is Payton Sterk (WASH), Katie Wagner DeGarmo (FHSU), Grace Pyle (PITT), Anna Trusty (FT SMITH), & Marie Sepp (MWSU)
3rd Team is Caely Kesten (NWMSU), Ryan Franklin (MSSU), Gracie Gilpin (ESU), Taylor Weishaar (UCM), & Macie Mays (PITT)

All Defensive is Karenna Gerber (PITT), Alyssa Bonilla (MWSU), Olivia Hollenbeck (FHSU), Yiibari Nwidadah (WASH), & Taylor Weishaar (UCM)

MEN

Freshman of the Year is Tyrique Brooks (MSSU) with a honorable shoutout to Evan Jackson (PITT)
Player of the Year is Jordan Frison (Pitt) if they are willing to give it to the sophomore but if not then would likely go to Kaleb Hammeke (FHSU) but I am of the opinion that Frison was clearly the best player in the league this year.
Defensive Player of the Year is Jack Bachelor (WASH). This guy when you look at him, looks like he is not an athlete at all but he just moves so effortlessly into the right position. A good rebounder for his size & matches up incredibly well against bigger guys in switches.
Coach of the Year is Marty Levinson (UNK) as they were projected by both the media & coaches to respectively finish 12th & 13th. Had to replace an entire roster with transfers mostly as only had 1 guy back from last year who got hurt & hasn't played this year. He got a group of talented athletes to mesh fairly quickly & is making the MIAA tournament because of that. This so far looks like a home run hire for UNK.

1st Team is Kaleb Hammeke (FHSU), Brayden Shorter (WASH), Jordan Frison (PITT), Jack Bachelor (WASH), & Trey Phipps (NE ST)
2nd Team is Anthony Marshall Jr. (RSU), Jacob Hanna (WASH), Zane Nelson (MWSU), Ja'Bryant Hill (UNK), & Ethan Blackmon (NE ST)
3rd Team is Chase Thompson (UNK), Andrew Orr (WASH), Martin Macenis (MSSU), Avery Taggart (PITT), & Karyiek Dixon (ESU)

All Defensive is Michael Keegan (WASH), Ja'Bryant Hill (UNK), Allen Taylor (MSSU), Jack Bachelor (WASH), & Kaleb Hammeke (FHSU)

[TigerAlum]

I don't know much about other teams in the league, I've unfortunately been able to follow the league less this year than previous years but I will say I'd be shocked not to see DeGarmo first team. Every team in the league would take her and what she demands for attention and game planning.

I've been surprised before tho.

[D2Rover]

DeGarmo is ahead of Nwidadah for first team. 16.5 a game when every opponent knows she's the best player on the court, and 8.3 rebounds is actually better than Nwidadah too. Loewe averaging over 7 assists a game seems like it should be worth something, I'd say she's a better all-around player than Gilpin or Sepp - not sure how scoring-focused the all-conference teams tend to be. Her and Schreiner are both top 5 in assists and steals, and Schreiner turns the ball over a lot less - again, deserves a spot if you're looking past the scoring numbers. If UNK finishes third in the conference, Aschoff might get that spot too. Not sold on Nwidadah for all-defense, averaging less than a block a game for a team that didn't put up great defensive numbers. Maybe Moore at Kearney for that team? Kate Dilsaver or Maycee James would work too - Dilsaver probably deserves it but UNK was clearly the next best defensive team this year and should get somebody on that list. I'd go Hollenbeck for DPOY but Bonilla is a good option too. No issue with Gerber for Player of the Year, could give it to either FHSU player as well.

[loper legionnaire]

I admittedly don't follow the UNK women as closely as the men, but the women seem to be a case where there are several good players but no superstars. Just a solid, balanced team.

The men have exceeded expectations for sure, considering it's a total rebuild from scratch situation. I don't know if a midpack finish in the conference will be enough to get Marty the Coach of the Year but it should get him in the conversation at least. I think Allen Taylor is a guy that needs to be in the mix for all conference. Leading rebounder and second leading scorer just behind Ja'Bryant despite being the guy the opposition probably keys on most.

[TigerAlum]

2024-25 MIAA MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTSEASON AWARDS & ALL-MIAA TEAMS
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jordan Frison, Pittsburg State
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jacob Hanna, Washburn
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Jacob Hanna, Washburn
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Kyran Tilley, Central Missouri
COACH OF THE YEAR: Brett Ballard, Washburn

MIAA ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
RJ Forney – Pittsburg State, Sr.
Kaleb Hammeke – Fort Hays State, Sr.
Jacob Hanna – Washburn, Sr.
Michael Keegan – Washburn, Sr.
Shaun Riley – Fort Hays State, Sr.

ALL-MIAA FIRST TEAM
Jack Bachelor – Washburn, So.
Jordan Frison – Pittsburg State, So.
Kaleb Hammeke – Fort Hays State, Sr.
Jacob Hanna – Washburn, Sr.
Anthony Marshall – Rogers State, Sr.

ALL-MIAA SECOND TEAM
Zane Nelson – Missouri Western, Sr.
Trey Phipps – Northeastern State, Gr.
Jacobi Sebock – Central Oklahoma, Jr.
Brayden Shorter – Washburn, So.
Avery Taggart – Pittsburg State, Sr.

ALL-MIAA THIRD TEAM
Ethan Blackmon – Northeastern State, So.
Karyiek Dixon – Emporia State, Jr.
Ja’Bryant Hill – Nebraska Kearney, Jr.
Andrew Orr – Washburn, Sr.
Allen Taylor – Nebraska Kearney, Sr.

ALL-MIAA HONORABLE MENTION
DeAirius Barker – Central Missouri, Sr.
RJ Forney – Pittsburg State, Sr.
Caden Fry – Rogers State, Jr.
Kyle Grill – Fort Hays State, So.
Israel Hart – Central Oklahoma, Jr.
Martin Macenis – Missouri Southern, Sr.
Andrew Mason – Rogers State, Jr.
Sam Somerhalder – Newman, Jr.
Boston Stanton – Newman, Sr.
Zion Swader – Missouri Western, Sr.
Chase Thompson – Nebraska Kearney, Sr.
Terrell Williams – Arkansas-Fort Smith, Sr.

[TigerAlum]

2024-25 MIAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL POSTSEASON AWARDS & ALL-MIAA TEAMS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Katie DeGarmo, Fort Hays State
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Olivia Hollenbeck, Fort Hays State
CO-NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Reese Schaaf, Central Missouri
CO-NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Payton Sterk, Washburn
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Anna Trusty, Arkansas-Fort Smith
COACH OF THE YEAR: Amanda Davied, Pittsburg State

MIAA ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
Alyssa Bonilla – Missouri Western, Sr.
Kate Dilsaver – Fort Hays State, Sr.
Karenna Gerber – Pittsburg State, Sr.
Olivia Hollenbeck – Fort Hays State, Gr.
Yiibari Nwidadah – Washburn, Jr.

ALL-MIAA FIRST TEAM
Alyssa Bonilla – Missouri Western, Sr.
Katie DeGarmo – Fort Hays State, Gr.
Karenna Gerber – Pittsburg State, Sr.
Olivia Hollenbeck – Fort Hays State, Gr.
Grace Pyle – Pittsburg State, Sr.

ALL-MIAA SECOND TEAM
Jillian Aschoff – Nebraska Kearney, R-Jr.
Caely Kesten – Northwest Missouri, Sr.
Yiibari Nwidadah – Washburn, Jr.
Reese Schaaf – Central Missouri, Jr.
Payton Sterk – Washburn, Jr.

ALL-MIAA THIRD TEAM
Ryan Franklin – Missouri Southern, So.
Molly Hartnett – Northwest Missouri, Sr.
Macie Mays – Pittsburg State, So.
Anna Trusty – Arkansas-Fort Smith, Fr.
Kia Wilson – Nebraska Kearney, Gr.

ALL-MIAA HONORABLE MENTION
Morgan Browning – Arkansas-Fort Smith, Sr.
Kate Dilsaver – Fort Hays State, Sr.
Gracie Gilpin – Emporia State, Jr.
Katie Horyna – Emporia State, Sr.
Kaitlin Hunnicutt – Missouri Southern, Sr.
Brooke Loewe – Fort Hays State, Jr.
Samantha Moore – Nebraska Kearney, Sr.
Harper Schreiner – Pittsburg State, Jr.
Marie Sepp – Missouri Western, Jr.
Talexa Weeter – Fort Hays State, So.
Taylor Weishaar – Central Missouri, Fr.

[NWFanatic]

Gotta be a 1st for the NW men…not a single player on the list

[D2Rover]

Loewe:
7.2 pts, 3.4 rbs, 7.1 ast, 1.7 stl, .3 blk

I get that she's throwing it to two of the best players in D2, but 1.2 assists ahead of the next player is worth more than an honorable mention.

[TigerAlum]

Loewe:
7.2 pts, 3.4 rbs, 7.1 ast, 1.7 stl, .3 blk

I get that she's throwing it to two of the best players in D2, but 1.2 assists ahead of the next player is worth more than an honorable mention.

2nd in the nation in assists.
Might be the case of we can't have too many FHSU players voted in or can't only have 2 teams represented.