The Northwest Missouri State University men's basketball team captured three of the four specialty awards from the All-Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletic Association and had four players earn all-league honors as announced by the MIAA office Tuesday.
Trevor Hudgins (Player of the Year, First Team All-MIAA, Ryan Hawkins (Defensive Player of the Year, All-Defensive Team, First Team All-MIAA) and Ben McCollum (Coach of the Year) claimed the MIAA's specialty awards, while Diego Bernard (Third Team All-MIAA, All-Defensive Team) and Ryan Welty (Honorable Mention) also garnered accolades.
For the fifth straight season the MIAA Player of the Year resides in Maryville. Sophomore guard Trevor Hudgins (Manhattan, Kansas) took home the league's top honor after averaging 19.6 points per game and shooting 51.8 percent from the field. Hudgins is a four-time MIAA men's basketball athlete of the week honoree in 2019-20. Hudgins leads the nation in three-point field goal percentage (52.7%). He ranks No. 3 among NCAA Division II players in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.72). Hudgins is tops in the MIAA in assists (175 - 6.0 per game). Hudgins has three 30-plus point scoring contests and 17 20-plus point scoring games in 2019-20. He posted a career-high 36 points in a 96-49 win over Lincoln on Feb. 8.
Hawkins (Atlantic, Iowa) repeats as MIAA Defensive Player of Year and earned first team all-MIAA honors for the first time. Hawkins leads the Bearcats in scoring (22.8 ppg, rebounds (7.6 rpg, steals (2.1 spg) and blocked shots (0.7 bpg). Hawkins leads the MIAA in steals (65, ranks fifth in rebounding and fifth in minutes played per game. Hawkins is one of three MIAA players (Lincoln's Jonell Burton, Missouri Western's Will Eames) with at least 20 steals, 20 blocks, 20 assists and 20 three-pointers made. Hawkins is shooting 55.5% from the field and 45.0% from three-point range. Hawkins leads the Hawkins has collected eight double-doubles this season. Hawkins has reached 30 or more points on four occasions and he has posted 18 20-plus point scoring contests in 2019-20. Hawkins set the Northwest single-game scoring record with 44 points vs. Southern Nazarene on Nov. 2, 2019. Hawkins is a four-time MIAA athlete of the week award recipient.
Bernard (St. Joseph, Missouri) earned third team all-MIAA status and a spot on the MIAA All-Defensive squad for the second straight year. Bernard is averaging 13.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and shooting 47.9 percent from the field. He has scored 20 or more points four times this season. Bernard scored in double-figures 23 times. He ranks third in the team with 46 steals.
Welty (Parkville, Missouri) also captured honorable mention all-MIAA honors for the second consecutive season. Welty is averaging 7.7 points per game and is shooting 54.9% from the field. Welty is knocking down 51.6% of his three-point shots (47-of-91). He ranks No. 2 among all active NCAA players in career three-point field goal percentage (51.0%). Welty has connected on 27-of-29 free throws (93.1%) this season. Welty has scored a season-high 17 points on three occasions this season.
McCollum secured his sixth MIAA Coach of the Year Award after leading the Bearcats to their seventh consecutive MIAA regular season title. Northwest produced a mark of 18-1 in league play and had a +17.1 scoring margin in MIAA games. McCollum has guided the Bearcats to nine consecutive 20-win seasons, including a mark of 66-1 over the past two years.
The Bearcats return to action at 6 p.m. Thursday in Kansas City in the quarterfinals of the MIAA Tournament. Northwest will play the winner of Wednesday's first round game between No. 8-seeded Central Oklahoma and No. 9-seeded Lincoln.
2020 Men's Basketball All-MIAA Teams
First-Team
Cam Martin - Missouri Southern, Junior
Tyrell Carroll - Missouri Western, Sophomore
Ryan Hawkins - Northwest Missouri, Junior
Trevor Hudgins - Northwest Missouri, Sophomore
Tyler Geiman - Washburn, Junior
Second-Team
Kinzer Lambert - Missouri Southern, Senior
Morgan Soucie - Nebraska Kearney, Senior
Caleb Smith - Northeastern State, Senior
Kendrick Thompson - Northeastern State, Senior
Marques Sumner - Rogers State, Senior
Third-Team
Jared Vitztum - Fort Hays State, Junior
Elyjah Clark - Missouri Southern, Senior
Marshawn Blackmon - Newman, Senior
Diego Bernard - Northwest Missouri, Sophomore
Tavian Davis - Rogers State, Senior
All-Defensive Team
Braelon Walker - Missouri Southern Senior
Josh Ihek - Northeastern State, Senior
Diego Bernard - Northwest Missouri, Sophomore
Ryan Hawkins - Northwest Missouri, Junior
Tavian Davis - Rogers State - Senior
Honorable Mentions
Central Oklahoma - Cam Givens - Sophomore
Emporia State - Brenden Van Dyke - Junior
Lincoln - Jonell Burton - Senior
Missouri Western - Will Eames - Freshman, Tyus Millhollin - Senior
Nebraska Kearney - AJ Jackson - Senior, Kyle Juhl - Senior
Northwest Missouri - Ryan Welty - Senior
Pittsburg State - AJ Walker - Senior
Rogers State - Chris Miller - Senior, Brewster Peacock - Junior
Washburn - Jonny Clausing - Sophomore
--- Northwest Athletics ---