FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, March 10, 2009

CONTACT: Ted Breidenthal 816/474-7264, ext. 119 tbreidenthal@d3independents.org www.d3independents.org

Association of Division III Independents

Names 2009 All-Independent Men's Basketball Teams

KANSAS CITY, MO.--- Finlandia University’s Tyler Gordon, who led the Association of Division III Independents in scoring, headlines the 2009 All-Independent Men’s Basketball teams announced today by the AD3I.

    

Gordon, a junior guard from Red Cliff, Wis., averaged a league-leading 23.4 points per game and 4.6 steals per game.  He ranked third with 3.6 assists per game and pulled down an average of 5.5 rebounds per contest.  He shot 46 percent from the field, 72 percent from the line and 38 percent from the three-point line. 

Joining Gordon on the first team are Ryan Matsuoka, University of California, Santa Cruz; Dylan Aylward, Nebraska Wesleyan University; Billy Harrison, Lancaster Bible College; Jeff Pritchard, University of Dallas; and Justin Riley, Chapman University.  

Chapman University head coach Mike Bokosky was selected as the coach of the year.  Bokosky led the Panthers to a 24-3 record, their fourth straight AD3I West Region championship and a fourth consecutive 20-win season.

The coaches selected Ben Rosser, a freshman forward from the University of Maine, Presque Isle, as the rookie of the year.  The Caribou, Maine, native started all 16 games before suffering a season-ending wrist injury.  Rosser averaged 13.4 points per game and led UMPI in rebounds (8.4) and blocked shots (1.6) per game.   

The All-Independent Men’s Basketball teams were selected by the men’s basketball coaches from AD3I member schools.

  

 

2009 ALL-INDEPENDENT MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Tyler Gordon, Finlandia University
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Ben Rosser, University of Maine, Presque Isle
COACH OF THE YEAR: Mike Bokosky, Chapman University
Players listed by order of votes received
FIRST TEAM ALL-INDEPENDENT
NAME	SCHOOL	YEAR	POS	HOMETOWN
Tyler Gordon	Finlandia University	JR	G	Red Cliff, WI
Ryan Matsuoka	University of California, Santa Cruz	SO	G	Cupertino, CA
Dylan Aylward	Nebraska Wesleyan University	JR	C	Lincoln, NE
Billy Harrison	Lancaster Bible College	SR	G	Shillington, PA
Jeff Pritchard	University of Dallas	JR	G	Frisco, TX
Justin Riley	Chapman University	SO	F	San Dimas, CA

 

SECOND TEAM ALL-INDEPENDENT

NAME	SCHOOL	YEAR	POS	HOMETOWN
Ervin Maddox	St. Joseph’s College (Brooklyn)	SR	G	Staten Island, NY
Ben Rosser	University of Maine, Presque Isle	FR	F	Caribou, ME
Justin Gist	St. Joseph’s College (Brooklyn)	SO	G	Brooklyn, NY
Jim Norton	University of Dallas	JR	G	Louisville, KY
Kyle Wood	Chapman University	JR	PG	San Clemente, CA
Devon Peaslee	University of Maine, Presque Isle	SO	G	Woolrich, ME
Erik Bresette	Finlandia University	JR	F	Red Cliff, WI

 

HONORABLE MENTION ALL-INDEPENDENT

NAME	SCHOOL	YEAR	POS	HOMETOWN
Griffin Ramme	Chapman University	SO	G	Ontario, CA
Keith Arnold	Finlandia University	FR	G	Detroit, MI
Travis Ekmark	University of Dallas	JR	G-F	Yokosuka, Japan
Jared Kaiser	Chapman University	JR	C	Lake Forest, CA

 

The Association of Division III Independents consists of 17 Division III independent institutions that have joined together to recognize student-athletes at independent institutions, and to provide exempted postseason championship competition in nine sports in 2008-09.  The Association recognizes outstanding athletic achievements of its student-athletes on a weekly, monthly and annual basis.  The Association provides statistical services for its members in seven sports.  In addition, it also will announce All-Independent teams at the conclusion of eight other sports this year.