The University of Akron Athletics
Quartet Of Cagers Earn All-MAC Recognition
March 09 | Men's Basketball
CLEVELAND – Four University of Akron men's basketball players earned All-Mid-American Conference recognition on Monday, with Brett McKnight being named to the league's second team, Nate Linhart and Chris McKnight to the honorable mention squad, and Anthony "Humpty" Hitchens to the all-freshman list. The All-MAC and all-rookie teams were voted on by the league's 12 head coaches.
Brett McKnight averages 11.3 points off the bench
as UA's leading scorer (ranks 16th in the MAC). He is also a
candidate for the league's Sixth Man of the Year award, which will
be announced later in the week.
Linhart leads UA in rebounding (5.8 rpg/10th in MAC), steals
(56/1.8 spg, third in MAC), blocked shots (17/0.5 bpg) and minutes
(30.0 mpg) this season; while Chris
McKnight has been one of the team's top contributors in both
points (9.0 ppg) and rebounds (4.4 rpg) throughout the season
– tallying 16 double-digit scoring efforts and leading the
team in rebounding 10 times.
Hitchens is the Zips' second all-freshman team honoree in as many seasons (Steve McNees received a nod last season). Listed among the team's top four scorers for much of the campaign, Hitchens averages 9.2 points (third on the team and 30th in the MAC). He has started in 28 games and has 15 double-figure scoring performances under his belt.
Additionally on Monday, Bowling Green's Louis Orr was named MAC
Coach of the Year. He led the Falcons to a MAC East Division
co-championship and the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament.
Coach of the year is voted on by the MAC News Media
Association.
The 2009 FirstEnergy MAC Men's Basketball Tournament begins
tomorrow at Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena. Fifth-seeded Akron
faces 12th-seeded Toledo at 6 p.m. EDT
All-MAC First Team
Michael Bramos, Miami, G/F
Al Fisher, Kent State, G
Nate Miller, Bowling Green, F
Rodney Pierce, Buffalo, G
Jerome Tillman, Ohio, F
All-MAC Second Team
Darion "Jake" Anderson, Northern Illinois G
Brandon Bowdry, Eastern Michigan F
Brett McKnight, Akron, F
Tyrone Kent, Toledo, G
David Kool, Western Michigan, G
All-MAC Honorable Mention
Mike Allen, Ohio, G
Tyler Dierkers, Miami, F
Greg Gamble, Buffalo, G
Jarrod Jones, Ball State, F
Brandon Lampley, Ball State, G
Nate Linhart, Akron, F
Chris McKnight, Akron, F
Brian Moten, Bowling Green, G
Chris Singletary, Kent State, G/F
Marcus Van, Central Michigan, F/C
MAC All-Freshman Team
Anthony "Humpty" Hitchens, Akron, G
Jarrod Jones, Ball State, F
Mike DiNunno, Northern Illinois, G
Steven Coleman, Ohio, G
Flenard Whitfield, Western Michigan, F
