Bellarmine, Lewis, USI, UW-Parkside Earn Major #GLVCmbb Honors

3/2/2016 2:00:00 PM

Jeff Smith, Associate Commissioner

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INDIANAPOLIS – University of Wisconsin-Parkside senior guard Andy Mazurczak has been named the 2015-16 Great Lakes Valley Conference men’s basketball Player of the Year, it was announced by the Conference office on Wednesday.  Bellarmine University senior forward George Suggs earned the league’s first-ever Defensive Player of the Year award, while Lewis University guard Delaney Blaylock and University of Southern Indiana guard Alex Stein shared Freshman of the Year honors.  UW-Parkside’s Luke Reigel was once again tabbed by his peers as Coach of the Year.  In addition, 20 student-athletes were picked as All-Conference honorees, while 10 representatives were named to the league’s All-Defensive Team.

After earning second-team All-GLVC accolades last season, Mazurczak becomes just the second Ranger ever to be recognized as Player of the Year, joining Jeremy Saffold from the 2012-13 campaign.  Mazurczak was one of five unanimous first-team selections this season after ranking fourth in the league with 19.4 points per game over the course of the 18-game league slate.  The Norridge, Illinois native boasted eight games with 20 or more points, including a season-high 40 points at Truman State.  Over the course of the GLVC schedule, he also averaged 5.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game, while making 56.4 percent of his 218 field goals to help the Rangers to a share of the East Division crown. 

Suggs earns the league’s newest award as the GLVC’s top defender.  The St. Louis, Missouri native registered a GLVC-best 36 blocks in 18 conference contests this year, an average of 2.0 swats per game, while grabbing a league-high 111 defensive rebounds as well.  Suggs, who also garnered first-team All-GLVC accolades, helped anchor a Bellarmine defense that limited its opponents to a 39.5 field-goal percentage, which ranks eighth nationally.  

This is the second time in league history that the Freshman of the Year award has been shared.  In 2013, it was Mazurczak who shared the award with Kentucky Wesleyan’s Lucas Barker, who now plays for the University of Indianapolis.   

Blaylock is the second straight and fifth overall Flyer to win the league’s newcomer award as teammate Max Strus earned the honor last year.  In 18 conference games this season, Blaylock netted 13.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.  The Wyoming, Michigan native recorded four games with 20 points or more, including a pair of contests with a season high of 27 points, most recently in the Flyers’ 101-89 win over Indianapolis on Feb. 18.

Stein is the ninth Screaming Eagle to be honored with Freshman of the Year accolades, and the first since the 2003-04 season when Geoff Van Winkle was recognized.  A native of Evansville, Indiana and the son of Rick, the current USI women’s basketball coach, Stein recorded 13.1 points in 18 conference games and ended the league slate reaching double figures in five straight games, following a season-high 26 points at Missouri S&T on Feb. 6.

Reigel earns his second consecutive GLVC Coach of the Year accolade and the third of his career as he was first recognized during the 2012-13 season.  After being picked to finish fifth in the GLVC East Division prior to the season, his Rangers earned a share of division crown with Bellarmine to garner their fourth consecutive East title.  UW-Parkside enters the GLVC Championship Tournament ranked No. 14 in the Division II coaches poll at 22-4 overall and 15-3 in conference play.  In addition to Mazurczak, Reigel mentored sophomore Kendale McCullum to second-team All-GLVC accolades as well as a spot on the All-Defensive Team with senior Jalen Currie.

Joining Mazurczak as unanimous first-team selections are Bellarmine junior guard Rusty Troutman, Drury University senior guard Kameron Bundy, Indianapolis senior guard Jordan Loyd and Lewis sophomore forward Max Strus.  In addition to the aforementioned players, Drury sophomore guard Tevin Foster, Quincy University junior center Joseph Tagarelli, Rockhurst University senior center Dominique Washington and Truman State University junior guard Cory Myers earned sports on the All-GLVC First Team, which was divided equally to include five members from both the East and West Divisions.  Ten members were also named All-GLVC second-team list as well as the All-Defensive team.

A complete list of the 2015-16 GLVC All-Conference teams and postseason honors follows.
 

2016 GLVC Player of the Year:  Andy Mazurczak, Sr., G, UW-Parkside 2016 GLVC Defensive Player of the Year:  George Suggs, Sr., F, Bellarmine 2016 GLVC co-Freshman of the Year:  Delaney Blaylock, G, Lewis Alex Stein, G, Southern Indiana 2016 GLVC Coach of the Year:  Luke Reigel, UW-Parkside

First-Team All-Conference George Suggs, Sr., F, BU RUSTY TROUTMAN, JR., G, BU KAMERON BUNDY, SR., G, DU Tevin Foster, So., G, DU JORDAN LOYD, SR., G, UINDY MAX STRUS, SO., F, LEWIS Joseph Tagarelli, Jr., C, QU Dominique Washington, Sr., C, RU Cory Myers, Jr., G, TSU ANDY MAZURCZAK, SR., G, UWP All CAPS are Unanimous selections

Second-Team All-Conference Kyle Nelson, Sr., C, LEWIS Forrester Sims, So., G, MU David Franklin, Jr., G, MCK Godson Eneogwe, Sr., G, QU Evan McGaughey, Jr., F/C, QU Bobo Drummond, Jr., G, USI Kyle Kanaskie, Jr., G, TSU Cole Myers, Sr., G, TSU Kendale McCullum, So., G, UWP Darius Tomlin, Sr., G, WJC

All-Defensive Team George Suggs, Sr., F, BU Michael Parrish, Sr., G, BU Jordan Loyd, Sr., G, UINDY Joshua Webster, Fr., G, UMSL Nate Des Jardins, Sr., G, QU John Burke, Sr., G, RU Cory Myers, Jr., G, TSU Dwight Sistrunk, Jr., Jr., G, TSU Jalen Currie, Sr., F, UWP Kendale McCullum, So., G, UWP