NCAA Men: Trist and Rowley headline Aussie award winners
With conference play coming to a close over the next week, a host of Aussie men have already scooped some awards. They are led by one of the best performed Aussies in Division I hoops this season.
Dan Trist | Lafayette Leopards | Patriot League
Dan Trist - Courtesy Lafayette Athletics
Arguably the best performed Aussie in Division I hoops this season, Dan Trist was one of two unanimous selections to the Patriot League All-Conference First Team. The 6'8 senior forward delivered a career-year, providing a Patriot League best 17.7 points per game (18.4 points in league play) at a super-efficient 57.5% from the field. He also added a conference 4th best 6.7 rebounds per game and ended up garnering 4 player of the week awards, including 3 of the last 4 to be awarded.
Trist collected his 1,000th career-point during the season and moved into the top-10 in Lafayette's all-time scoring list with 1,435 career points. He also recorded 5 of his seven career double-double's during this season. With an array of highly effective post moves, the imposing forward will be the Leopards key player as they look to cause some damage in the Patriot League tournament.
Sam Rowley | Albany Great Danes | America East
Sam Rowley with Peter Hooley as 2015 America East Champions - Courtesy University at Albany Media Relations
After earning two player of the week awards during the season, senior forward Sam Rowley has received a bag of awards from the America East Conference. In delivering 8 double-doubles during the season and ranked 4th in conference only scoring with 15.1 points and with 7.5 rebounds per game, he was selected to the America East All-Conference First Team.
Albany's success was in direct correlation to the outstanding play of Rowley. He scored in double figures in 15 consecutive games with 8 double-doubles. During the season he recorded his 1,000th career-point and has earned a chance to potentially graduate as a three-time America East champion and a 3rd straight NCAA tournament appearance.
Rowley was also named to the America East All-Academic Team for the 3rd straight year, demonstrating that he performed both on and off the court.
Peter Hooley | Albany Great Danes | America East
Despite missing 8 games, junior guard Peter Hooley was still named to the America East All-Conference Second Team while also joining team-mate Sam Rowley on the America East All-Academic Team for the 2nd straight year. He also was named to the Capital One Academic All-District First Team. This is an amazing achievement for the 2014 America East Tournament Most Outstanding Player as he looks to secure a 3rd straight NCAA tournament berth in each of his three years of college.
Hooley was the Great Dane's leading scorer until his leave of absence to due to the passing of his mother. He is now posting 13.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game and has been showing signs of a return to his outstanding form on the eve of the America East tournament.
Corban Wroe | Hartford Hawks | America East
Senior guard Corban Wroe was recognised for his outstanding defensive capabilities by being named to the America East All-Defensive Team for the 2nd straight year. Wroe experienced a career-year, posting 9.9 points, 4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and a team-best 1.3 steals per game and was a big reason why the Hawks are an outside chance in the America East tournament.
Not only was Wroe able to restrict his opponents, he was also able to do well in class, joining compatriots Rowley and Hooley in being selected to the All-Academic Team, having been named to the America East Commissioners Honor roll three times.
Xavier Cooks | Winthrop Eagles | Big South
Xavier Cooks - Courtesy Tim Cowie / Winthropphotos.com
Talented 6'8 forward Xavier Cooks was recognised for an outstanding first season at college by being named to the Big South All-Freshman Team.
Cooks was able to contribute an impressive 7.5 points on 53.8% shooting with 5.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.6 blocks per game. He was elevated into the starting lineup and made the position his own, receiving a Big South Freshman Player of the Week award along the way thanks to a 16 point and 10 rebound double-double against High Point, capping a 3-game stretch where he scored in double-digits. He has clearly been one of the best first year Aussies in action this season, possibly second only to Saint Mary's Emmett Naar.
Stay tuned for potentially more award winners as a number of conferences will wrap up their schedules over the coming week! Potential award candidates include the likes of Eastern Washington's Venky Jois and Jeromie Hill of Texas-San Antonio.