A.I.I. Release - Johnson & Wales (CO) forward Andrew Baker and head coach Jeff Culver have been named the NAIA Association of Independent Institutions Division II Men's Basketball Player and Coach of the Year, respectively, the conference office announced on Thursday morning. The conference also released the 2010 All-Conference team.
Baker, a senior forward from Broomfield, Colorado, led Johnson & Wales (CO) to a 17-13 overall record. Baker led his team with a 13.50 point per game average, and posted 5.8 rebounds per game. Baker was an A.I.I. Player of the week in December, and shot 57.3 per cent from the field.
For the second year in a row, Culver led JWU to the 19th annual NAIA Men's Basketball Division II National Championship, hosted by the College of the Ozarks. To qualify, JWU defeated Ohio Dominican in the A.I.I. Finals, beating ODU 65-60 despite being without A.I.I. Player of the Year Andrew Baker in the lineup. Johnson & Wales face No. 5 seed Indiana-Southeast in the National Championship tournament opener on March 10.
A.I.I. Major Awards
Coach of the Year - Jeff Culver - Johnson & Wales
Player of the Year - Andrew Baker - Johnson & Wales
All-Conference Team
Name - School - Position - Class - Hometown
Andrew Baker - Johnson & Wales - Forward - Senior - Broomfield, CO
Aaron Gibbs - Ohio Dominican - Forward - Junior - Oberlin, OH
Nate Lark - Johnson & Wales - Forward - Senior - Dayton, OH
Marcus Hopkins - Marygrove College - Guard - Sophomore - Southfield, MI
Justin McKinney - Marygrove College - Forward - Junior - Detroit, MI
Ethan Fisher - Johnson & Wales - Guard - Senior - Ft. Collins, CO
Pete Trgovich - Indiana University Northwest - Guard - Senior - Munster, IN
Adriene Rodriguez - Ohio Dominican - Guard - Senior - Lorain, OH
John Trew - Ohio Dominican - Guard - Sophomore - Barberton, OH
Nick Maly- Johnson & Wales - Forward - Junior - Broomfield, CO
