All-GSC Men's Basketball Honors Announced
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HERE for the complete release.
Birmingham, Ala.—The Gulf South Conference announced the 2015-16 All-GSC Men’s Basketball Team and annual honors Monday.
Eight different GSC teams landed at least one student-athlete each on the postseason list.
Alabama Huntsville and
Union were the only teams to land two players with All-GSC honors, having both a First Team and Second Team selection.
Delta State, Shorter and
Valdosta State also each had a First Team member, while
Christian Brothers,
North Alabama and
West Georgia each had a Second Team member. Eight of the 10 student-athletes earning All-GSC honors are first-time selections. GSC Player of the Year Devin Schmidt earns his third consecutive All-GSC First Team nod, becoming the 17
th GSC player to do so and the first since Kevin Weybright (CBU) and Matt Hall (Harding) in 2008.
DEVIN SCHMIDT CROWNED GSC PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Delta State junior
Devin Schmidt (Sevierville, Tenn.) used a 708-point season to break a 30-plus-year record and become Delta State’s all-time scoring lead with 1,819 career points. He led the GSC in scoring and was third in NCAA Division II with 25.29 points per game. He also led the GSC in 30-point games, reaching the mark nine times, including a high of 37-points against Valdosta State on Feb. 6. His low for the season was 14 points. Schmidt ranked in the Top 10 of seven Division II statistical categories, including a DII-best 564 field goal attempts and 282 3-point attempts. In addition to his scoring, Schmidt turned in 5.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.7 steals per game. He was named the GSC Player of the Week five times. He also broke DSU’s career record for 3-pointers made (215) and attempted (551) and eclipsed the 300 career assists mark, now fifth in DSU history with 354. This is the ninth-time a DSU player has been named GSC Player of the Year, the most by any GSC team. Delta State’s Chelsey Rhodes was named the GSC Women’s Basketball Player of the Year, making this the 11
th time a school has swept GSC Player of the Year honors in the same year. DSU has now done so eight times (1986, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2011, 2014, 2016).
ADAM DIEBALL TABBED FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Christian Brothers forward
Adam Dieball (Cincinnati, Ohio) was named the GSC Freshman of the Week a GSC-record seven times this season, including a sweep of the Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week honors on Jan. 5. Dieball, a 6-foot-8 forward out of Lakota East High School, earned a starting role for the Bucs in December and started in 19 GSC games. He averaged 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. His career-high was 29 points against North Alabama on Jan. 9. Dieball is the ninth CBU player to earn Freshman of the Year honors, the most of any GSC team.
LENNIE ACUFF REPEATS AS COACH OF THE YEAR
Alabama Huntsville head coach
Lennie Acuff earned his second consecutive and league-best eighth overall GSC Coach of the Year honor after leading the Chargers (21-6, 18-4 GSC) to the program’s sixth GSC Regular Season Title in the last seven years and top seed in the GSC Tournament. It is Acuff’s eighth regular season crown as head coach. In his 18th season at the helm of the Chargers, Acuff has now enjoyed 17 winning seasons, with what will be 16 GSC Tournament appearances. UAH has won two GSC Tournament Titles and appeared in eight NCAA Division II Tournaments during Acuff’s tenure.
| 2015-16 ALL-GSC MEN’S BASKETBALL FIRST TEAM |
| POS |
NAME |
SCHOOL |
YR |
HT |
PREVIOUS SCHOOL |
HOMETOWN |
| G |
Devin Schmidt* |
DSU |
Jr. |
6-4 |
Sevier County HS |
Sevierville, Tenn. |
| F |
Seab Webster^ |
UAH |
Jr. |
6-6 |
Madison County HS |
Gurley, Ala. |
| G |
Marterrace Brock |
Union |
Sr. |
6-4 |
Tallahassee CC |
Memphis, Tenn. |
| G |
Phil Taylor |
Shorter |
Jr. |
5-10 |
Florida International |
Brooklyn, N.Y. |
| G |
Blake Justice |
VSU |
Sr. |
6-2 |
Akron |
Peebles, Ohio |
| 2015-16 ALL-GSC MEN’S BASKETBALL SECOND TEAM |
| POS |
NAME |
SCHOOL |
YR |
HT |
PREVIOUS SCHOOL |
HOMETOWN |
| G |
Greg Gardner |
UAH |
Sr. |
6-5 |
Bishop Chatard HS |
Indianapolis, Ind. |
| G |
John Fletcher |
UNA |
Sr. |
6-2 |
Vista HS |
San Diego, Calif. |
| G |
Jordan Montgomery |
Union |
Sr. |
6-6 |
Kennesaw State |
Orlando, Fla. |
| G/F |
Drew Hildreth |
CBU |
rSr. |
6-5 |
Bolton HS |
Memphis, Tenn. |
| G |
Steph Branch |
UWG |
Jr. |
6-3 |
Chapel Hill HS |
Upland, Calif. |
*Three-Time All-GSC First Team Selection | ^2014-15 All-GSC Second Team Selection
GSC Player of the Year: Devin Schmidt, Delta State
GSC Freshman of the Year: Adam Dieball, Christian Brothers
GSC Coach of the Year: Lennie Acuff, Alabama Huntsville
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