Peters Named Player of the Year; #HLMBB All-Conference Teams (March 1)

INDIANAPOLIS – Valparaiso senior Alec Peters has been named Horizon League Player of the Year. The all-time scoring leader in Valparaiso history is the second Crusader to be voted Horizon League Player of the Year, joining Ryan Broekhoff (2011-12). John Brannen of Northern Kentucky was named Coach of the Year after guiding the Norse to a 21-win season and an 11.5-game improvement over last year.

Tai Odiase of UIC was tabbed as the Defensive Player of Year after leading the conference in blocked shots (3.2). Green Bay’s Warren Jones earned Sixth Man of the Year accolades, chipping in 10.7 points per game in league action and hitting 43.8 percent of his 3-point attempts against Horizon League competition.

Detroit Mercy’s Corey Allen was voted Freshman of the Year and finished the league campaign averaging 15.4 points and connecting on 42.1 percent from 3-point range.

The Horizon League also announced its 2016-17 all-conference teams, naming a first and second team, an All-Freshman team and an All-Defensive squad. Joining Peters on the First Team were Northern Kentucky's Drew McDonald, Jalen Hayes of Oakland, Mark Alstork of Wright State and Cameron Morse of Youngstown State.

League awards are voted on by a 50-member panel that includes head coaches, sports information directors and three media representatives from each school.

Horizon League All-Conference Teams/Specialty Awards

First Team All-Horizon League
Drew McDonald, Northern Kentucky
Jalen Hayes, Oakland
Alec Peters, Valparaiso
Mark Alstork, Wright State
Cameron Morse, Youngstown State

Second Team All-Horizon League
Rob Edwards, Cleveland State
Jaleel Hogan, Detroit Mercy
Charles Cooper, Green Bay
Martez Walker, Oakland
Shane Hammink, Valparaiso

All-Freshman Team
Corey Allen, Detroit Mercy
Carson Williams, Northern Kentucky
Isaiah Brock, Oakland
Tarkus Ferguson, UIC
Dominique Matthews, UIC

All-Defensive Team
Kenneth Lowe, Green Bay
Khalil Small, Green Bay
Isaiah Brock, Oakland
Tai Odiase, UIC
Tevonn Walker, Valparaiso

Player of the Year
Alec Peters, Valparaiso

Coach of the Year
John Brannen, Northern Kentucky

Freshman of the Year
Corey Allen, Detroit Mercy

Defensive Player of the Year
Tai Odiase, UIC

Sixth Man of the Year
Warren Jones, Green Bay