St. Paul, Minn. -- The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) announced the 2007-08 MIAC Men's Basketball Awards today, March 6, 2008. Concordia College senior forward Luke Linz was named the conference's Player of the Year. Linz averaged 18.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.65 assists, and 1.15 blocks per game. Linz led the Cobbers to a fourth place finish in the MIAC Regular Season Standings in 2007-08.
St. Thomas head coach Steve Fritz was chosen as the 2007-08 MIAC Coach of the Year. Under Fritz' direction, the Tommies won their third consecutive MIAC Regular Season Championship with a 17-3 conference record. This is the 13th Coach of the Year award for Fritz in his 28 seasons as leader of the St. Thomas program.
As part of a conference-wide sportsmanship initiative, the MIAC announces the second annual All-MIAC Sportsmanship team for men's basketball. Members of the All-MIAC Sportsmanship team are selected by their coaches and teammates as individuals who demonstrate ideals of positive sportsmanship both on and off the field of competition.
2007-08 MIAC Men's Basketball Awards
Player of the Year - Luke Linz, Concordia (Sr., Forward, Watkins, Minn./Eden Valley-Watkins)
Sixth Man of the Year - Al McCoy, St. Thomas (Jr., Forward, St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall)
Coach of the Year - Steve Fritz, St. Thomas (28th season)
All-Conference
| Name |
Team |
Year |
Position |
Hometown/High School |
| Brady Brink |
Saint John's |
Sr. |
Wing |
Waconia, Minn. |
| Jon Cassens |
Augsburg |
So. |
Guard |
Prior Lake, Minn. |
| Tom Conboy |
Macalester |
Sr. |
Forward |
Chanhassen, Minn./Minnetonka |
| Tommy Drake |
Carleton |
Sr. |
Wing |
Eden Prairie, Minn. |
| Bobby Hunter |
St. Olaf |
Sr. |
Forward |
West St. Paul, Minn./Sibley |
| Zach Johnson |
Carleton |
Jr. |
Forward |
Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview |
| Ryan Lieser |
Saint John's |
Sr. |
Wing |
Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori |
| Luke Linz |
Concordia |
Sr. |
Forward |
Watkins, Minn./Eden Valley-Watkins |
| Tim Madson |
Bethel |
Jr. |
Guard |
Redwood Falls, Minn. |
| Mike Moberg |
Bethel |
Jr. |
Center |
Plymouth, Minn./Maple Grove |
| Joe Scott |
St. Thomas |
So. |
Guard |
St. Anthony, Minn. De La Salle |
| Kane Sivesind |
Gustavus |
Sr. |
Wing |
Madison, Wis./Memorial |
| Femi Solaja |
Augsburg |
Sr. |
Center |
Cottage Grove, Minn./St. Paul Harding |
| Trevor Wittwer |
Gustavus |
Sr. |
Wing |
Redwood Falls, Minn./Redwood Valley |
| Abe Woldeslassie |
Macalester |
Sr. |
Guard |
Richfield, Minn./St. Thomas Academy |
All-Defensive Team
| Name |
Team |
Year |
Position |
Hometown/High School |
| Brady Brink |
Saint John's |
Sr. |
Wing |
Waconia, Minn. |
| Tommy Drake |
Carleton |
Sr. |
Wing |
Eden Prairie, Minn. |
| Lonnie Robinson |
St. Thomas |
Sr. |
Guard |
Brooklyn Park, Minn./Osseo |
| Kane Sivesind |
Gustavus |
Sr. |
Wing |
Madison, Wis./Memorial |
| B.J. Viau |
St. Thomas |
Jr. |
Guard |
Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview |
All-First Year Team
| Name |
Team |
Year |
Position |
Hometown/High School |
| Eric Clute |
Hamline |
Fy. |
Guard |
Hawley, Minn. |
| Carl Hipp |
Hamline |
Fy. |
Center |
Little Canada, Minn./Totino-Grace |
| Tyler Nicolai |
St. Thomas |
Fy. |
Guard |
Minnetonka, Minn./Hopkins |
| Chris Schwartz |
Saint John's |
Fy. |
Wing |
Sioux Falls, S.D./Lincoln |
| Will Wright |
Saint Mary's |
Fy. |
Guard |
Chicago, Ill./Marist |
Honorable Mention All-Conference
| Name |
Team |
Year |
Position |
Hometown/High School |
| Nate Alm |
Augsburg |
Jr. |
Forward |
Eden Prairie, Minn. |
| Steve Banick |
St. Olaf |
Sr. |
Guard |
Oakdale, Minn./North St. Paul |
| Erik Lien |
Concordia |
Fy. |
Guard |
Moorhead, Minn. |
| Lonnie Robinson |
St. Thomas |
Sr. |
Guard |
Brooklyn Park, Minn./Osseo |
| Bryan Rosett |
Carleton |
So. |
Forward |
Cottage Grove, Minn./Park |
| Tony Thrasher |
Hamline |
Jr. |
Forward |
Hustisford, Wis. |
| Jesse Van Sickle |
Gustavus |
So. |
Wing |
Garden City, Minn./LCWM |
| B.J. Viau |
St. Thomas |
Jr. |
Guard |
Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview |
| Will Wright |
Saint Mary's |
Fy. |
Guard |
Chicago, Ill./Marist |
2007-08 All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team
Augsburg - Tony Doran (Fy., Richfield, Minn./Trinity-River Ridge)
Bethel - Jeff Reck (Sr., St. Paul, Minn./Harding)
Carleton - Bobby Schmitz (Jr., Hastings, Minn.)
Concordia - Cody Dyshaw (Jr., Montevideo, Minn.)
Gustavus - Kane Sivesind (Sr., Madison, Wis./Memorial)
Hamline - Tanner Anderson (Jr., Eden Prairie, Minn./Holy Family)
Macalester - Brian Ranwick (Sr., Plymouth, Minn./Minnetonka)
Saint John's - Nick Johnson (Sr., Plato, Minn./Glencoe-Silver Lake)
Saint Mary's - Patrick Connolly (Fy., Chicago, Ill./Marist)
St. Olaf - Chad Norberg (Sr., Northfield, Minn.)
St. Thomas - Grant Hennington (Sr., Elk River, Minn.)