By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
The National Association of Basketball Coaches announced the 2021 NABC Coaches' Division II All-District teams and coaches Monday, recognizing the best men's college basketball student-athletes and coaches in the division.
The players and coaches are selected and voted on by member coaches of the NABC in NCAA Division II.
Northwest Missouri State's Trevor Hudgins and Ryan Hawkins each earned NABC Central District First-Team honors, while Diego Bernard tallied second-team status. Bearcat head coach Ben McCollum registered his fourth career NABC Central District Coach of the Year award. He previously won the award in 2017, 2019 and 2020.
Hudgins secured first-team all-district status for the third consecutive season. Hudgins averaged 20.1 points per game and shot 54.5% from the field, including 52.5% from three-point range. Hudgins has already earned first-team all-MIAA and was named the MIAA Player of the Year for the second straight season.
Hawkins earned first-team all-district honors for the second straight season. Hawkins led the Bearcats in both scoring (22.0 ppg) and rebounding (8.5 rpg). Hawkins was early named a first-team all-MIAA performer.
Bernard tallied his initial all-district award with a nod on the second team. Bernard had 15 double-figure scoring games, including a pair of 20-point contests. Bernard was named the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year and secured second-team all-MIAA status. Bernard averaged 11.8 points per game, 6.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 54.3% from the field.
McCollum has guided Northwest to its eighth consecutive MIAA regular season title and he helped lead the Bearcats to their fifth trip to the Elite Eight with the highest victory total in the nation among NCAA Division II teams at 25-2 overall.
Northwest will begin its quest for a third national championship on Wednesday with a matchup against West Liberty at 6 p.m. in the Elight Eight in Evansville, Indiana.