BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- Senior Nathan Hubbard has been elected "Most Valuable Player" for the Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team.
"It was evident how valuable Nathan was to us this year," said head coach Dennie Bridges, whose team finished with a 17-9 record. "In the four games he either missed or played with a large splint on his broken hand, we were 1-3. He was involved in so many facets of our team, from scoring to rebounding to leading us in assists and steals. He was our best defensive player and had a great will to win."
The 6-foot-4 guard from Normal (U High) averaged 16.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, made 51 steals and handed out 97 assists. He had career-highs of 27 points vs. Nebraska Wesleyan, 13 rebounds against North Central and 10 assists vs. North Park. Hubbard scored in double figures in 20 of his 24 games and led IWU in scoring eight times and in rebounding four times.
In his career Hubbard finished with 870 points and is No. 33 in career rebounds at the school with 388. A second team all-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin selection for the second straight season, Hubbard also finished his career ranked sixth all-time at IWU with 335 assists and seventh with 109 career 3-point field goals.
Junior Korey Coon, a 6-foot guard from East Peoria (HS), was chosen to be the captain for the 1999-2000 Titans and, for the third straight season, was the winner of the team's annual free throw award as he connected on 88.3 percent of his charity tosses (128 of 145).
"The captain selection was a perfect choice," Bridges said. "Korey will be the team leader next year and his election by his teammates makes it official."
Coon, the co-winner of the CCIW "Fred Young Most Outstanding Player" award and first team all-CCIW player, advanced to No. 18 in career scoring at IWU with 1,232 points and has made 292 free throws, good for No. 8 in school history. His 88.8 free throw percentage (292 of 329) is a school career record and he ranks second at IWU with 180 career 3-point field goals.
Coon's 512 points this year is 18th best in a season at IWU and his 74 3-point field goals is second to the 79 from Mark Edmundson in 1987-88. He scored in double figures in 25 of 26 games and led the Titans in scoring 14 times, including a career-best 38-point effort with a school record-tying eight 3-point field goals at Olivet Nazarene.
Andrew Boyden, a 6-foot-9 senior center from Galesburg (HS), closed out a career that saw him add his name to a number of IWU all-time lists. He is second all-time with a 58.4 field goal percentage (472 of 808) and 12th in free throw accuracy at 71.7 percent (251 of 350). He finished 25th in both scoring (1,196 points) and rebounding (450) at the school, 19th in field goals made (472), and 18th in free throws (251).
The Titans advanced to the NCAA Division III tournament for the sixth straight season and for the 13th time in the 16 years of NCAA association. Bridges completed his 34th season at the Titan helm with a career mark of 626-304 and a league record of 402-120.
Bridges awarded letters to 11 players, nine of whom return for next season. They are:
SENIORS - Andrew Boyden (Galesburg HS), Nathan Hubbard (Normal, U High).
JUNIORS - Korey Coon (East Peoria HS), Patrick Hand (Rockford, Boylan Catholic HS), Jerry Happ (Winnetka, New Trier HS), Jason Osborn (New Holland, Lincoln HS), Mike Rogers (Chicago, St. Ignatius HS).
SOPHOMORES - Phil Hurst (Windsor HS), Jay Kramer (Batavia HS), Adam Osborn (New Holland, Lincoln HS) and Todd Wente (Effingham, St. Anthony HS).
ANDREW BOYDEN, Galesburg (HS) - Andrew Boyden, a 6-foot-9 senior center, earned his fourth basketball letter...Served as co-captain for 1998-99 team after being captain for 1997-98 team...Named to second team of all-CCIW squads after being third team as a junior…Played and started all 26 games this year…Scored in double figures in 19 games and led IWU in scoring three times...Led Titans in rebounding eight times and equaled his career-high with 11 rebounds vs. Aurora…Finished his career second all-time with a 58.4 field goal percentage (472 of 808) and 12th in free throw accuracy at 71.7 percent (251 of 350)…He finished 25th in both scoring (1,196 points) and rebounding (450) at the school, 19th in field goals made (472), and 18th in free throws (251)...A biology major, he is the son of Scott and Carla Boyden.
KOREY COON, East Peoria (HS) - Korey Coon, a 6-foot junior guard, earned his third basketball letter at IWU and was chosen to be the captain for the 1999-2000 Titans…Scored in double figures in 25 of 26 games and led IWU in scoring 14 times…His 512 points this year is 18th best in a season at IWU and his 74 3-point field goals is second to the 79 from Mark Edmundson in 1987-88...Had a career-high 38 points and tied school record with eight 3-point field goals at Olivet Nazarene…For the third straight season, was the winner of the team's annual free throw award as he connected on 88.3 percent of his charity tosses (128 of 145)…Was the co-winner of the CCIW "Fred Young Most Outstanding Player" award and first team all-CCIW player for the second straight season…Led CCIW in scoring and 3-point shooting percentage and was second in free throw percentage…Coon advanced to No. 18 in career scoring at IWU with 1,232 points and has made 292 free throws, good for No. 8 in school history. His 88.8 free throw percentage (292 of 329) is a school career record and he ranks second at IWU with 180 career 3-point field goals…Also led team in rebounding twice and had career-high 11 boards at Olivet Nazarene… In 1998, Coon became first IWU sophomore to be named first team all-CCIW since Blaise Bugajski in 1980…His 89.7 free throw percentage in 1998 is a school single-season record…A second team Academic All-American in 1998 as a history/risk management major, he is the son of Larry and Nancy Coon.
PATRICK HAND, Rockford (Boylan Catholic HS) - Patrick Hand, a 6-foot-2 junior guard, earned his first basketball letter at IWU...Played in eight games, averaging two minutes per game…Scored a free throw at North Park and a basket at Millikin…Grabbed five total rebounds…Accounting major…He is the son of Missy and Brian Hand.
JERRY HAPP, Winnetka (New Trier HS) - Jerry Happ, a 6-foot-4 junior forward, earned his third basketball letter at IWU...Played in all 26 games and started 10…Averaged 5.7 points and 2.5 rebounds…Finished third on team with 24 steals…Scored in double figures eight times and led team once with career-high 18 at Carthage…Also grabbed career-high eight rebounds against Chaminade in Hawaii…Business administration major…He is the son of Jerry and Molly Happ.
NATHAN HUBBARD, Normal (U High) - Nathan Hubbard, a 6-foot-4 senior guard, earned his fourth basketball letter at IWU and was chosen as the team's "Most Valuable Player"...Served as co-captain for 1998-99 team...Missed two full games with broken right hand and played duration of season with splint on hand…Averaged 16.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game and led team with 51 steals and 97 assists…Had career-high 27 points vs. Nebraska Wesleyan and 13 rebounds against North Central…Also handed out career-best 10 assists vs. North Park…Led team in scoring eight times and in rebounding four times…Scored in double figures in 20 of 24 games…Named to Lopata Classic all-tourney team and was tournament MVP…In his career Hubbard finished with 870 points and is No. 33 in career rebounds at the school with 388…A second team all-CCIW selection for the second straight season, Hubbard also finished his career ranked sixth all-time at IWU with 335 assists and seventh with 109 career 3-point field goals…History major…He is the son of Cal and Vivian Hubbard.
PHIL HURST, Windsor (HS) - Phil Hurst, a 6-foot-6 sophomore forward, earned his first basketball letter at IWU...Played in 18 games and started seven…Averaged 4.4 points and 2.7 rebounds in 13 minutes per game…Scored career-best 19 points against North Park and had eight rebounds in season-opener against Pomona-Pitzer…Also averaged 15 points in junior varsity games…Undecided on college major…He is the son of Charles and Kathy Hurst.
JAY KRAMER, Batavia (HS) - Jay Kramer, a 6-foot-3 sophomore guard, earned his first basketball letter at IWU...Played in 11 varsity games an average of two minutes per game…Scored two points in games vs. North Park, Millikin and Carthage…Averaged 9.8 points in the junior varsity schedule… Mathematics major…He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kramer.
ADAM OSBORN, New Holland (Lincoln HS) - Adam Osborn, a 6-foot-2 sophomore guard, earned his second basketball letter at IWU...Played in all 26 games and was a starter in five…Averaged 18 minutes per game and scored 5.5 points with 2.2 rebounds per game...Finished second on the team with 61 assists and 30 steals…Had single-game season and career highs of 11 points (vs. both Wheaton and Carthage), five rebounds (vs. Hawaii Pacific and Augustana), and seven assists (at Carthage)...A business major, he is the son of Richard and Linda Osborn.
JASON OSBORN, New Holland (Lincoln HS) - Jason Osborn, a 6-foot-3 junior guard, earned his third basketball letter at IWU...Averaged 10 minutes per game while playing in 24 games... Averaged 1.4 points and 1.5 rebounds...Had single-game season highs of eight points (vs. Chicago) and career-high five rebounds (vs. both Hawaii Pacific and Aurora)...A chemistry major, he is the son of Richard and Linda Osborn.
MIKE ROGERS, Chicago (St. Ignatius HS) - Mike Rogers, a 6-foot-5 junior forward, earned his second basketball letter…Played in and started all 26 games…Averaged 7.2 points with career-high of 17 vs. Wheaton…Averaged team-best 7.1 rebounds with career-high 14 in season-opener against Pomona-Pitzer…Led team in rebounding eight times…Had three "double-doubles" in points/rebounds…A computer science major, he is the son of Yolande Bourgeois and Harry Rogers.
TODD WENTE, Effingham (St. Anthony HS) - Todd Wente, a 6-foot-6 sophomore forward, earned his second basketball letter at IWU...Played in all 26 games and started seven…Averaged 4.6 points and 2.7 rebounds...Had single-game season and career highs of 16 points (vs. Nebraska Wesleyan) and 10 rebounds (vs. both Nebraska Wesleyan and Carthage)...Also handed out five assists in Nebraska Wesleyan game…A biology/pre-med major, he is the son of Michael and Patricia Wente.