SOIUX FALLS, SD (TheSummitLeague.org) –
WBB
South Dakota State’s Myah Selland was selected as The Summit League Player for the second time in her career in a vote by the League’s head coaches, athletic communication directors and select member members.
Selland becomes the seventh individual to garner the League’s top individual accolade multiple times in her career, the last being South Dakota State’s Macy Miller who was named Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons (2017-18, 2018-19). The Jackrabbit redshirt senior averaged 16.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.3 apg and 1.7 spg while also shooting 51.7 percent from the field and 55.2 percent from beyond the arc during the regular season.
Selland recorded double-digit scoring efforts in 16 of 18 League games and started every game for the Jackrabbits. She scored a career-high-tying 30 points on 10-for-12 shooting from the field, including 7-for-9 from behind the three-point line in the first matchup against North Dakota on Jan. 7.
Denver senior Makayla Minett became the first Pioneer to be named the Defensive Player of the Year. Minett has helped the Pioneers become the best blocking team in the League with an average of 4.6 bpg. She sits atop the League in blocks per game (2.9) and total blocks (52) while ranking ninth nationally in both statistical categories.
South Dakota State junior Kallie Theisen was voted the Sixth Woman of the Year making her the first Jackrabbit since Kerri Young in 2013-14 to earn the award. Theisen has been crucial coming off the bench for the Jacks contributing 6.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg and 1.1 apg throughout League play.
North Dakota State’s Elle Evans earned Freshman of the Year honors giving the Bison the first accolade in program history. Evans started in 17 of 18 League games, reaching double digits in the scoring column in 15 of her 17 starts. She dropped a career-high 23 points on 10-for-16 shooting to go along with eight rebounds in the first meeting with Kansas City on Jan. 21. On the road at Omaha on Feb. 9, she captured her first career double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds. During League action, she averaged 13.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg and 1.3 apg.
Kansas City’s E’Lease Stafford was named the Newcomer of the Year and is the fourth Roo to garner the award and second-consecutive. Stafford has started every game she has played since becoming a Roo and averages a team-high-tying 14.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg and 1.5 apg. She has put together double-digit scoring performances in 10 of 14 League games, including a season-high 24 points against Western Illinois on Jan. 14.
South Dakota State’s Aaron Johnston was voted the Coach of the Year for the third consecutive year and the seventh time in his career. Johnston guided the Jackrabbits to a perfect 18-0 League record and the program’s ninth regular season crown. In 23 seasons with the Jackrabbits, Johnston has helped his squads achieve 20-plus wins 19 times, including 11 straight. South Dakota State has been receiving votes in the WBCA/USA TODAY Coaches’ Poll and Associated Press Top 25 for the past three weeks.
The First Team All-Summit League individuals are made up of Selland, North Dakota senior Kacie Borowicz (19.4 ppg, 4.8 apg, 4.0 rpg, 1.8 spg), Oral Roberts senior Hannah Cooper (20.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.9 apg, 2.5 spg) and sophomore Tirzah Moore (13.5 ppg, 10.2 rpg), North Dakota State senior Heaven Hamling (17.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 3.9 apg) and South Dakota sophomore Grace Larkins (18.3 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 4.9 apg, 2.0 spg). Selland earned the fourth All-Summit League honor of her career and Hamling’s was her third. Borowicz and Moore both collected their second.
The five-player second team featured a trio of Jackrabbits in senior Paiton Burckhard (12.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 50.0 FG%) and sophomores Paige Meyer (9.6 ppg, 3.2 apg, 54.5 FG%, 54.3 3PT%) and Haleigh Timmer (12.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 50.6 FG%, 79.5 FT%).Those three were joined by St. Thomas senior Maggie Negaard (14.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.7 apg) and Omaha graduate student Elena Pilakouta (14.0 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 66.2 FG%). It is the fourth All-Summit League honor for Burckhard and the second for Meyer.
The honorable mention accolades went to Evans, Minett, Stafford, Western Illinois junior Anna Deets (14.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 89.2 FT%) and Denver freshman Emma Smith (13.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.7 apg).
Cooper, Evans, Larkins, Minett also collected All-Defensive Team honors along with North Dakota graduate student Claire Orth (5.1 rpg, 1.4 spg).
The League’s All-Newcomer team featured Evans, Stafford, Smith, South Dakota State graduate student Dru Gylten (5.4 ppg, 3.1 apg, 2.2 rpg) and Oral Roberts junior Ruthie Udoumoh (11.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.5 spg)
With the expansion of the field and the new format, all of the League’s 10 teams will make the trip to Sioux Falls this weekend for The Summit League Women’s Basketball Championship. The championship starts Friday at 12:30 p.m. CT when No. 8 St. Thomas meets No. 9 Western Illinois at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center.
Both first-round games, all four quarterfinals and both semifinals will be aired on Midco Sports and streamed on Midco Sports Plus as well as ESPN+.
Tuesday’s championship game is set for 1 p.m. CT and will be televised live on ESPNU and available on WatchESPN.com or the ESPN app.
2022-23 Summit League Women’s Basketball Awards
First Team All-Summit League
Kacie Borowicz, North Dakota (Sr., G)*
Hannah Cooper, Oral Roberts (Sr., G)
Heaven Hamling, North Dakota State (Sr., G)**
Grace Larkins, South Dakota (So., G)
Tirzah Moore, Oral Roberts (So., F)*
Myah Selland, South Dakota State (R-Sr., F)^***
Second Team All-Summit League
Paiton Burckhard, South Dakota State (Sr., F)***
Paige Meyer, South Dakota State (So., G)*
Maggie Negaard, St. Thomas (Sr., G)
Elena Pilakouta, Omaha (Gr., C)
Haleigh Timmer, South Dakota State (So., G)
Honorable Mention All-Summit League
Anna Deets, Western Illinois (Jr., G)
Elle Evans, North Dakota State (Fr., G)
Makayla Minett, Denver (Sr., F)
Emma Smith, Denver (Fr., G)
E’Lease Stafford, Kansas City (Gr., G)
^Player of the year automatically earns a spot on the first team
*previous all-league selections noted above
All-Defensive Team
Hannah Cooper, Oral Roberts (Sr., G)
Elle Evans, North Dakota State (Fr., G)
Grace Larkins, South Dakota (So., G)
Makayla Minett, Denver (Sr., F)
Claire Orth, North Dakota (Gr., G)
All-Newcomer Team
Elle Evans, North Dakota State (Fr., G)
Dru Gylten, South Dakota State (Gr., G)
Emma Smith, Denver (Fr., G)
E’Lease Stafford, Kansas City (Gr., G)
Ruthie Udoumoh, Oral Roberts (Jr., F)
Player of the Year
Myah Selland, South Dakota State
Defensive Player of the Year
Makayla Minett, Denver
Sixth Woman of the Year
Kallie Theisen, South Dakota State
Freshman of the Year
Elle Evans, North Dakota State
Newcomer of the Year
E’Lease Stafford, Kansas City
Coach of the Year
Aaron Johnston, South Dakota State
MBB
Oral Roberts senior Max Abmas was named The Summit League Men’s Basketball Player of the Year for the second time in his career Thursday as league officials announced six individual awards, the all-league honorees, the all-newcomer team and the all-defensive team.
Abmas topped the scoring charts in League play with a 23.5 ppg clip and connected on a League-best 68 3-pointers during ORU’s 18-0 run to the regular season championship. The Rockwall, Texas native also earned his third consecutive spot on the All-League First Team.
The Golden Eagles claimed four of the six individual awards as seven-foot-five transfer Connor Vanover was named the Summit League Newcomer of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year after transferring from Arkansas for his final collegiate season.
Vanover averaged 12.2 ppg against League foes and ranked third in rebounding with a 7.1 clip. He also led all League players with 56 total blocks, which was good for a 3.1 bpg clip.
Paul Mills earned his first Summit League Coach of the Year honor after guiding ORU to just the second perfect season by a Summit League squad in 41 years of conference play. His Golden Eagles capped that run with a win at South Dakota State this past Saturday. The Jackrabbits were the first program to achieve that feat a season ago.
St. Thomas guard Andrew Rohde was named the Summit League Freshman of the Year and became the first rookie since the 2015-16 season to earn a spot on the All-League First Team (Mike Daum, South Dakota State and John Konchar, Purdue Fort Wayne). Rohde averaged 18.4 ppg to rank fifth among League players and is third nationally among freshman, averaging 16.7 ppg overall.
For the third consecutive year North Dakota had an individual award winner. This time it was junior Matt Norman collecting the hardware for being named the Summit League Sixth Man of the Year.
Norman was the League’s top-scoring reserve at 12.2 ppg and also ranked second in 3-point field goal percentage, knocking down 41.7 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc.
The individual and all-league honors are voted on by the League’s 10 head coaches, athletic communication directors and select media members. All of these accolades are based on the player’s performance in Summit League play.
Abmas was the only returning player from the All-League First Team as he was joined by Rohde, Vanover, South Dakota State guard Zeke Mayo, North Dakota State forward Grant Nelson and Western Illinois guard Trenton Massner.
Mayo ranked third among League players in scoring at 21.1 ppg and was the top 3-point shooter thanks to a 42.4 percent clip from distance. The Lawrence Kan., native also ranked in the top 10 in rebounding (6.0/g; 10th) and assists (4.0/g; t3rd).
Nelson was fourth in scoring (19.9 ppg), first in rebounding (9.8 rpg), second in blocks (1.6 bpg) and led all League players with eight double-doubles.
Massner was a second-team honoree a year ago and ranked second in scoring with a 21.6 ppg clip. He broke a Western Illinois single-game scoring record with 46 in a home win over North Dakota, which are the most points by a DI player in a regulation game this season. The Wapello, Iowa native also led the League in assists (5.1/g) and grabbed 5.6 rpg as well.
The All-League Second Team featured the Kansas City backcourt duo of Shemarri Allen and RayQuawndis Mitchell, St. Thomas forward Parker Bjorklund, South Dakota State forward Matt Dentlinger and Oral Roberts guard Issac McBride.
Allen and Mitchell were the only set of teammates among the top 10 in the League in scoring. Mitchell edged his teammate, ranking sixth at 17.9 ppg, while Allen was seventh at 17.8 ppg.
Bjorklund helped the Tommies to a five-game improvement from their first year as a League member. He scored at a 15.9 ppg clip against League foes and shot 50.2 percent from the field.
Dentlinger’s all-league honor is the second of his career after he earned the same nod as a sophomore following the 2019-20 season. Dentlinger averaged 14.9 ppg and 5.8 rpg, while leading the League in field goal percentage (62.4).
McBride, who earned honorable mention honors as a sophomore, found his way onto the All-League second team after scoring 12.6 ppg.
This year’s honorable mention squad featured South Dakota’s duo of guard Kruz Perrott-Hunt (16.2 ppg, 2.2 apg) and forward Tasos Kamateros (14.1 ppg, 6.2 rpg), Denver point guard Tommy Bruner (16.2 ppg, 3.8 apg), Omaha guard Frankie Fidler (16.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg), and North Dakota State guard Boden Skunberg (15.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg).
Vanover headlined the All-Defensive Team and was joined on that squad by Allen, Nelson, South Dakota State guard Matt Mims and Western Illinois forward Jesiah West.
Bruner, Mitchell, Rohde and Allen were joined on the All-Newcomer Team by South Dakota State freshman William Kyle III.
Each of the League’s 10 teams will embark on Sioux Falls this weekend for The Summit League Men’s Basketball Championship. The action starts Friday at 6 p.m. CT when No. 8 seed Denver takes on No. 9 seed North Dakota at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center. All first round, quarterfinal and semifinals games will be televised by Midco Sports and streamed digitally on Midco Sports Plus and ESPN+. Tuesday’s title game will air on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. CT and be streamed on the Watch ESPN app.
2023 Summit League Men’s Basketball Awards
First Team All-Summit League
Max Abmas, Oral Roberts^** (Sr., G)
Trenton Massner, Western Illinois* (Sr., G)
Zeke Mayo, South Dakota State (So., G)
Grant Nelson, North Dakota State (Jr., F)
Andrew Rohde, St. Thomas (Fr., G)
Connor Vanover, Oral Roberts (Sr., F)
Second Team All-Summit League
Shemarri Allen, Kansas City (Sr., G)
Parker Bjorklund, St. Thomas (Gr., F)
Matt Dentlinger, South Dakota State** (Gr., F)
Issac McBride, Oral Roberts (Jr., G)
RayQuawndis Mitchell, Kansas City (Gr., G)
Honorable Mention All-Summit League
Tommy Bruner, Denver (Jr., G)
Frankie Fidler, Omaha (So., G)
Tasos Kamateros, South Dakota (Sr., F)
Kruz Perrott-Hunt, South Dakota* (Sr., G)
Boden Skunberg, North Dakota State (Jr., G)
^Player of the year automatically earns a spot on the first team
*previous all-league selections noted above
All-Defensive Team
Shemarri Allen, Kansas City (Sr., G)
Matt Mims, South Dakota State (Jr., G)
Grant Nelson, North Dakota State (Jr., F)
Connor Vanover, Oral Roberts (Sr., F)
Jesiah West, Western Illinois (Jr., F)
All-Newcomer Team
Tommy Bruner, Denver (Jr., G)
William Kyle III, South Dakota State (Fr., F)
RayQuawndis Mitchell, Kansas City (Gr., G)
Andrew Rohde, St. Thomas (Fr., G)
Connor Vanover, Oral Roberts (Sr., F)
Player of the Year
Max Abmas, Oral Roberts
Defensive Player of the Year
Connor Vanover, Oral Roberts
Sixth Man of the Year
Matt Norman, North Dakota
Freshman of the Year
Andrew Rohde, St. Thomas
Newcomer of the Year
Connor Vanover, Oral Roberts
Coach of the Year
Paul Mills, Oral Roberts