Cole Near-Unanimous Player of the Year, Wins Defensive Player of the Year in Postseason Awards Balloting

INDIANAPOLIS – Cleveland State senior Norris Cole was tabbed the Horizon League Player of the Year in voting of the League’s coaches, sports information directors and media.  Cole also won Defensive Player of the Year honors, becoming the first player in League history to win both in the same season.

Detroit’s Ray McCallum earned Newcomer of the Year accolades, while Geoff McCammon gave Loyola its second consecutive Sixth Man of the Year winner.  The freshman led the Titans with 13.5 points per game and handed out 4.9 assists per contest, while McCammon was instant offense off the bench, pacing the Ramblers with 14.5 ppg while setting the new single-season Loyola standard for three-pointers made with 83.

After leading Milwaukee to nine straight wins to close the League season, giving the Panthers a share of the regular season title and No. 1 overall seed in the Horizon League Tournament, Rob Jeter received Coach of the Year recognition.

Cole paced the Horizon League in scoring (21.6 ppg), assists (5.5 apg) and steals (2.2 apg), carrying Cleveland State to a share of its first regular season League title.  The Dayton Dunbar H.S.-product is joins Darius Clemons (Loyola, 1980-81) as the only players to lead the League in all three categories in the same season.  The senior became just the second player in the last 15 years to record a 40-point, 20-rebound performance on Feb. 12 with a virtuoso effort of 41 points, 20 caroms and nine assists.

Matt Howard earned First Team All-League honors for the third straight season, becoming the 12th player in League history to do so.  The senior led Butler to a share of its record-setting fifth straight regular season title.

Howard was joined on the First Team by Wright State’s Vaughn Duggins, Anthony Hill of Milwaukee and Valparaiso’s Brandon Wood, all of whom earned first team honors for the first time in their careers.

Preseason Player of the Year Shelvin Mack led Second Team selections, teaming with Howard to help Butler secure the No. 2 seed for the League tournament.  Green Bay’s Rahmon Fletcher capped his career by being named to an All-League team for the fourth straight year.  Senior N’Gai Evans teamed with Duggins to give Wright State two All-League selections, while McCallum and Detroit teammate Eli Holman rounded out the team.

McCallum was one of two freshmen on the All-Newcomer Team, joined by Green Bay center Alec Brown.  Kaylon Williams, who solidified the point at Milwaukee, earned a spot on the squad, while transfers Paul Carter and Damian Eargle both made an impact in the post in picking up all-newcomer ballots.

Cole paced the All-Defensive Team honorees, with his backcourt partner Trevon Harmon also earning a spot on the five-man roster.  Howard returned to the team after a one-year absence and was joined by his teammate Ronald Nored, who earned a place on the team for the second consecutive season.  Holman rounded out the squad, which was selected in voting of the League’s coaches.

The 2011 Horizon League Men’s Basketball Championship will tip-off on Tuesday, March 1, with four first round games on campus sites.  Top-seeded Milwaukee and No. 2 seed Butler earned byes into the semifinals, where they will meet the winners of the second round games on Saturday, March 5.  The Horizon League title game will be played at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 8, on ESPN.  



2011 Awards Voting:
Player of the Year: Norris Cole, Cleveland State

Newcomer of the Year: Ray McCallum, Detroit

Defensive Player of the Year: Norris Cole, Cleveland State

Sixth Man of the Year: Geoff McCammon, Loyola

Coach of the Year: Rob Jeter, Milwaukee

All-League Teams
First Team
Norris Cole, G, Cleveland State
Matt Howard, F, Butler
Vaughn Duggins, G, Wright State
Anthony Hill, F, Milwaukee
Brandon Wood, G, Valparaiso

Second Team
Shelvin Mack, G, Butler
Rahmon Fletcher, G, Green Bay
Ray McCallum, G, Detroit
Eli Holman, F, Detroit
N’Gai Evans, G, Wright State

All-Newcomer Team
Ray McCallum, G, Detroit
Kaylon Williams, G, Milwaukee
Paul Carter, F, UIC
Alec Brown, C, Green Bay
Damian Eargle, F, Youngstown State

All-Defensive Team
Norris Cole, G, Cleveland State
Eli Holman, F, Detroit
Trevon Harmon, G, Cleveland State
Ronald Nored, G, Butler
Matt Howard, G, Butler