22-23 Season Awards

by **TylerDurden** » March 2nd, 2023, 10:07 am

Didn't see a thread, so here goes:

Coach of the Year:
1. Brian Wardle, Bradley (37 1st place votes; was top three in 49/52 ballots that could vote for him)
2. Josh Schertz, Indiana State (8)
3. Casey Alexander, Belmont (8)
4. Darian DeVries, Drake (3)

Thoughts: Wardle is deserving, and he ran away with the award by nearly 100 points, as it's calculated. Three voters left him out of their top three.

Schertz did a nice job at Indiana State, as did Alexander at Belmont. Belmont had a completely new team and Indiana State took a nice step forward.

Larry Bird Player of the Year (1st):
1. Tucker DeVries, Drake (18)
2. Ben Sheppard, Belmont (9)
3. Rienk Mast, Bradley (15)
4. Roman Penn, Drake (10)

Thoughts: I'm not surprised DeVries won, because voters have a history of preferring scoring over other metrics. I don't have a problem with that this year. All of the top four could make a case, as indicated by the spread of first-place votes.

Interestingly, perhaps only to me, none of the top four vote getters were top-three on all 52 ballots they could have been named on.

TD - 45
BS - 39
RM - 31
RP - 19

Newcomer of the Year - Courvoisier McCauley, Indiana St.
Freshman of the Year - Cade Tyson, Belmont
Defensive MVP - Malevy Leons, Bradley
6th Man of the Year - Ja'Shon Henry, Bradley

All-Conference Teams:
First Team
Tucker DeVries, Drake
Marcus Domask, Southern Illinois
Ben Krikke, Valparaiso
Rienk Mast, Bradley
Roman Penn, Drake
Ben Sheppard, Belmont

Second Team
Bowen Born, UNI
Jace Carter, UIC
Donovan Clay, Missouri St.
Malevy Leons, Bradley
Courvoisier McCauley, Indiana St.

Third Team
Cameron Henry, Indiana St.
Lance Jones, Southern Illinois
Rob Perry, Murray State
Kenny Strawbridge, Evansville
Garrett Sturtz, Drake

All-Newcomer Team
Duke Deen, Bradley
Drew Friberg, Belmont
Courvoisier McCauley, Indiana St.
Rob Perry, Murray State
Cade Tyson, Belmont

All-Freshman Team
Robbie Avila, Indiana St.
Michael Duax, UNI
Conor Enright, Drake
Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Belmont
Cade Tyson, Belmont

All-Defensive Team
Donovan Clay, Missouri St.
Xavier Johnson, Southern Illinois
Lance Jones, Southern Illinois
Julian Larry, Indiana State
Malevy Leons, Bradley
Ben Sheppard, Belmont

All-Bench Team (selected by beat writers & panel)
*Ja'Shon Henry, Bradley
Sardaar Calhoun, Drake
Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Belmont
Chance Moore, Missouri St.
Landon Wolf, UNI

Most-Improved Team (selected by beat writers & panel)
*Tytan Anderson, UNI
Darnell Brodie, Drake
Ben Krikke, Valparaiso
Malevy Leons, Bradley
Zek Montgomery, Bradley

**Sponsor**

by **Adunk33** » March 2nd, 2023, 10:38 am

My only gripe is that Cade Tyson from Belmont landed on the all-fresh and all-newcomer team....isn't the point of the all-newcomer team to acknowledge non-freshmen newcomers? If not, then why have both teams at all?

Bummed to see no ILST representation but it is understandable. The team really only has 6 guys that could contribute, 3 or 4 of them worth votes that probably split between voters. Seneca Knight, Kendall Lewis, and Darius Burford all could've landed somewhere. The biggest issue is that they really passed the baton between each other at times in the season as opposed to one taking over.

Also, I know the league implemented 6 guys on the first team when league needed to make sure Wichita got all their guys on it, but I wonder when or if they'll go back to 5?

by **Mikovio** » March 2nd, 2023, 11:55 am

I've got no problem with players making both the all-freshman and all-newcomer teams. If you can come in as a frosh and establish yourself as one of the best 5 newcomers over a bunch of experienced transfers more power to you.

by **squirrel** » March 4th, 2023, 9:39 am

TylerDurden wrote:Didn't see a thread, so here goes:

Thoughts: Wardle is deserving, and he ran away with the award by nearly 100 points, as it's calculated. Three voters left him out of their top three.

Wow. And should lose their voting privileges.

by **bradley_townie** » March 4th, 2023, 10:33 am

squirrel wrote:
TylerDurden wrote:Didn't see a thread, so here goes:

Thoughts: Wardle is deserving, and he ran away with the award by nearly 100 points, as it's calculated. Three voters left him out of their top three.

Wow. And should lose their voting privileges.

Would love to hear a logical argument for leaving the championship team's coach out of your top 3. Wonder if that has ever happened before.

by **InvisibleSaluki** » March 4th, 2023, 3:00 pm

I could see a scenario where the coach from last season retired or got canned for off the court issues leaving a loaded roster that the new coach uses to coast to a regular season title.

But hasn't Wardle been the head coach at Bradley for a long time?

by **Birdfan2018** » May 13th, 2023, 12:55 pm

TylerDurden wrote:Didn't see a thread, so here goes:

Coach of the Year:
1. Brian Wardle, Bradley (37 1st place votes; was top three in 49/52 ballots that could vote for him)
2. Josh Schertz, Indiana State (8)
3. Casey Alexander, Belmont (8)
4. Darian DeVries, Drake (3)

Thoughts: Wardle is deserving, and he ran away with the award by nearly 100 points, as it's calculated. Three voters left him out of their top three.

Schertz did a nice job at Indiana State, as did Alexander at Belmont. Belmont had a completely new team and Indiana State took a nice step forward.

Larry Bird Player of the Year (1st):
1. Tucker DeVries, Drake (18)
2. Ben Sheppard, Belmont (9)
3. Rienk Mast, Bradley (15)
4. Roman Penn, Drake (10)

Thoughts: I'm not surprised DeVries won, because voters have a history of preferring scoring over other metrics. I don't have a problem with that this year. All of the top four could make a case, as indicated by the spread of first-place votes.

Interestingly, perhaps only to me, none of the top four vote getters were top-three on all 52 ballots they could have been named on.

TD - 45
BS - 39
RM - 31
RP - 19

Newcomer of the Year - Courvoisier McCauley, Indiana St.
Freshman of the Year - Cade Tyson, Belmont
Defensive MVP - Malevy Leons, Bradley
6th Man of the Year - Ja'Shon Henry, Bradley

All-Conference Teams:
First Team
Tucker DeVries, Drake
Marcus Domask, Southern Illinois
Ben Krikke, Valparaiso
Rienk Mast, Bradley
Roman Penn, Drake
Ben Sheppard, Belmont

Second Team
Bowen Born, UNI
Jace Carter, UIC
Donovan Clay, Missouri St.
Malevy Leons, Bradley
Courvoisier McCauley, Indiana St.

Third Team
Cameron Henry, Indiana St.
Lance Jones, Southern Illinois
Rob Perry, Murray State
Kenny Strawbridge, Evansville
Garrett Sturtz, Drake

All-Newcomer Team
Duke Deen, Bradley
Drew Friberg, Belmont
Courvoisier McCauley, Indiana St.
Rob Perry, Murray State
Cade Tyson, Belmont

All-Freshman Team
Robbie Avila, Indiana St.
Michael Duax, UNI
Conor Enright, Drake
Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Belmont
Cade Tyson, Belmont

All-Defensive Team
Donovan Clay, Missouri St.
Xavier Johnson, Southern Illinois
Lance Jones, Southern Illinois
Julian Larry, Indiana State
Malevy Leons, Bradley
Ben Sheppard, Belmont

All-Bench Team (selected by beat writers & panel)
*Ja'Shon Henry, Bradley
Sardaar Calhoun, Drake
Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Belmont
Chance Moore, Missouri St.
Landon Wolf, UNI

Most-Improved Team (selected by beat writers & panel)
*Tytan Anderson, UNI
Darnell Brodie, Drake
Ben Krikke, Valparaiso
Malevy Leons, Bradley
Zek Montgomery, Bradley

Which of these All-MVC Team Players will be returning for the 2023-24 season?

by **BEARZ77** » May 14th, 2023, 7:51 am

I count 4 on the first two teams, Leons, Clay, Devries, Born. I'm sure Devries will be the preseason POY. Don't know that there is a clear favorite in the race as yet, some teams still assembling rosters.

by **BuBrave2006** » May 15th, 2023, 11:42 am

BEARZ77 wrote:I count 4 on the first two teams, Leons, Clay, Devries, Born. I'm sure Devries will be the preseason POY. Don't know that there is a clear favorite in the race as yet, some teams still assembling rosters.

Wonder what the preseason first team will be. Probably the four listed above with Cade Tyson? or maybe Avila?