A.I.I. Release - Mountain State Forward Nick Aldridge and Life University guard Tay Barber, alongside Mountain State head coach Bob Bolen have been named the NAIA Association of Independent Institutions Division I Men's Basketball Co-Players and Coach of the Year, respectively, the conference office announced on Friday morning. The conference also released the 2010 All-Conference team.
Aldridge, a senior forward from South Webster, Ohio, finished second this season in NAIA Division I scoring, posting a 23.615 average, and is 26th in the NAIA in field goal percentage with a 56 per cent shooting percentage. Eight times this season Aldridge scored over 30 points in a game, including a season high of 40 points in Mountain State's season opener against Davis & Elkins.
Barber, a senior guard from Decatur, Georgia, finished 14th in the NAIA in points per game, and ranks tenth in the NAIA in total scoring with 559 points on the season. Barber is also a stalwart defensive player; finishing tenth in the NAIA in steals per game (2.310), and was 18th in the NAIA in assists per game with 4.552.
Bolen earned the A.I.I. Coach of the Year award for the second season in a row, guiding Mountain State to a 26-2 regular season record, including opening the season on a 25-game winning streak. Mountain State is currently first in the NAIA in assists per game (19.393), first in scoring offence per game (97.821), first in scoring margin (24.214), first in total rebounds per game (45.321) and first in total scoring offence, and will play in the A.I.I. semifinals on Saturday, March 6.
A.I.I. Major Awards
Coach of the Year - Bob Bolen - Mountain State
Co-Player of the Year - Nick Aldridge - Mountain State
Co-Player of the Year - Tay Barber - Life University
All-Conference Team
Name - School - Position - Class - Hometown
Nick Aldridge - Mountain State - F - SR - South Webster, OH
Tay Barber - Life University - G - SR - Decatur, GA
Greg Brown - Life University - G - SR - Battle Creek, MI
Byron Littlejohn - Allen University - G - SR - Clover, SC
Marcus Hunter - Mountain State - G - SR - Memphis, TN
Antwan Long - Lambuth University - G - JR - Jackson, TN
Nathaniel Thomas - Morris College - G - SR - Florence, SC
Barry Wellington - Mountain State - G - SR - Memphis, TN
Bryan Dunn - Life University - F - SR - Marietta, GA
Xavier Price - Lambuth University - G - SR - Lebanon, IL
