BIRMINGHAM – The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) announced its annual men’s and women’s basketball awards to cap the 2018-19 season. This year’s all-conference teams, which features fifteen student-athletes, were voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.

Morehouse’s forward, Omar Alston, headlines the 2019 SIAC Men’s Basketball All-Conference team as the conference’s leading vote-getter to earn 2019 SIAC Player of the Year honor.

Morehouse’s Robert Andrews who was named Newcomer of the Year. LeMoyne- Owen’s Devin Booker garnered the league’s Freshman of the Year honor and Lane’s Kendarius Ash was tabbed this year’s Defensive Player of the Year.

Morehouse’s Coach Grady Brewer was selected as the 2019 SIAC Coach of the Year.

Alston, a senior forward from Waldorf, Maryland, is the second straight Maroon Tiger to garner the league’s top honor in the past eight years. Alston shot an impressive 57.7 percent from the field and averaged 14.5 points and 11.5 rebounds, leading the Maroon Tigers to their second straight SIAC East Division Championship.

He ranks sixth among NCAA Division II players in double-doubles. The 6’6 forward finishes the regular season as the conference leader in defensive rebounds with 7.7 per game and ranks fourth in assists, dishing out 3.8 per contest.

Andrews is the second Maroon Tiger to collect a Newcomer of the Year award since Morehouse’s 2012-13 campaign. The junior guard earned the honor as his 44% shooting from beyond the arc was the best mark in the league. In his first campaign with the Maroon Tigers, Andrews was the second leading scorer, behind Alston, averaging 12.5 points per game.

Booker is the second Magician to be named the conference’s top freshman in the past eight years. In his rookie campaign, the Chicago native led the LeMoyne-Owen offense with 15.8 points per game while shooting 46.9% from the field and a conference-best 86.5% from the free-throw line.

Ash, a 6’7 senior forward, collected his third straight Defensive Player of the Year honor. The Decatur, Georgia native led the league averaging 11.6 rebounds per game which is ranked fourth in NCAA Division II. Ash was the second leading scorer for the Dragons and led his team by pulling down 209 total rebounds this season.

Coach Grady Brewer collects his third Coach of the Year honor in the past eight years. Brewer, who is in his nineteenth season at the helm of the Morehouse basketball program, led the Maroon Tigers to their seventh 20-win season and their fifth regular-season title. Morehouse is currently ranked No. 21 in the NCAA Division II national poll while seeking the SIAC Championship and their fourth NCAA tournament appearance.

The 2019 SIAC Basketball Tournament is set to tip off on February 25, with the final scheduled for March 2. The Birmingham Crossplex in Birmingham, Alabama will host the tournament for the third time, with 13 men’s teams vying for the SIAC crown.

2018-19 SIAC Men’s Basketball All-Conference Team

 

First Team

Omar Alston	Morehouse	Waldorf, Md	Forward/Guard
Ditalion Battle	Kentucky State	Cincinnati, Oh	Guard
Shelvick Henry	Clark Atlanta	Wabasso, Fl	Guard
Devin Booker	Lemoyne-Owen	Chicago, Il	Guard
Kendarius Ash	Lane	Decatur, Ga	Forward

 

Second Team

Jaylon Mcmillan	Fort Valley State	Stone Mountain, Ga	Guard
Jared Harrington	Albany State	Upper Marlboro, Md	Guard
Robert Andrews	Morehouse	Detroit, Mi	Guard
Tyrone Banks	Lemoyne-Owen	Memphis, Tn	Guard
Myles Thomas	Tuskegee	Tallahassee, Fl	Forward

 

Honorable Mention Team

Terrace Holt	Lane	Nashville, Tn	Guard
Jalen Mitchell	Clark Atlanta	Lawrenceville, Ga	Guard
Tyrell Williams	Albany State	Miami, Fl	Forward
Kevin Hayes	Kentucky State	Detroit, Mi	Forward
Brandon Fischer	Spring Hill	Buford, Ga	Forward/Center

 

 

 

Coach of the Year

Grady Brewer, Morehouse

 

Defensive Player of the Year

Kendarius Ash, Lane

 

Freshman of the Year

Devin Booker, LeMoyne-Owen

 

Newcomer of the Year

Robert Andrews, Morehouse

 

Player of the Year

Omar Alston, Morehouse

WOMEN’S

Benedict forward, Ay’Anna Bey, headlines the 2019 SIAC Women’s Basketball All-Conference team as the 2019 SIAC Player of the Year.

Alexis Carter of Tuskegee was tabbed as this year’s Newcomer of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year while Raegan Jackson of Clark Atlanta was selected as Freshman of the Year.

James Rice of Benedict was selected as the 2019 SIAC Coach of the Year.

Bey, a sophomore forward from Blackwood, New Jersey, is the second Tiger to capture the conference’s top honor in the past eight years. The 6’2 sophomore finished the season leading the league in scoring with 23.8 points per game, which ranked seventh among all NCAA Division II athletes.

She also led the eastern division champions in rebounds pulling down a total of 311 on the season, ranking second in NCAA Division II. During her second season with Benedict, Bey shot 61.9% from the field and 79.6% from the free-throw line. She was named SIAC Player of the Week five times throughout the year.

Carter is the first Golden Tiger to be named SIAC Newcomer of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the past eight seasons. The 6’2 forward led Tuskegee to their best record since the 2012-13 year on the way to claiming the SIAC Western Division Championship.

The senior transfer is the leading scorer and rebounder for the Golden Tigers averaging 18.1 points per game and 12.2 rebounds per game. Carter currently leads the league in blocked shots averaging 4.05 per game which ranks second in NCAA Division II.

Jackson is the second consecutive Panther to be named the conference’s top freshman honor. In her first season, the 5’7 guard was the led the Panthers in scoring with 14.5 points per game. Jackson is one of three freshmen in the conference ranked among the top 10 in scoring this season.

Rice, an alumnus of Benedict College, has collected his second Coach of the Year honor since taking over the head coaching responsibilities prior to the 2012-13 season. This year, Rice led the Tigers to their first undefeated conference season finishing with an unblemished 15-0 record.

Throughout the season, Benedict has maintained a spot in the regional rankings and are currently ranked sixth in the South Region. The Tigers enter this week’s tournament seeking for their fourth SIAC Championship and fifth NCAA tournament appearance under Rice.

The 2019 SIAC Basketball Tournament is set to tip off on February 25, with the final scheduled for March 2. The Birmingham Crossplex in Birmingham, Alabama will host the tournament for the third time, with 12 women’s teams competing for the title.

2018-19 SIAC Women’s Basketball All-Conference Team

 

First Team

Ay’anna Bey	Benedict	Blackwood, NJ	Forward
Alexis Carter	Tuskegee	Atlanta, Ga.	Forward
Dana Gettis	Lemoyne-Owen	Chicago, Ill.	Guard
Tiffany Valentine	Spring Hill	Houston, Texas	Forward
Ayanna Armstead	Benedict	Coral Springs, Fl	Guard

 

Second Team

Brooke Wallace	Kentucky State	Oberlin, Ohio	Center
Alicia Franklin	Fort Valley State	Atlanta, Ga	Guard
Reagan Jackson	Clark Atlanta	Chesapeake, Va.	Guard
Keondra Archie	Paine	Eastover, SC	Forward
Jade Wilson	Tuskegee	Indianapolis, In	Forward

 

Honorable Mention Team

Takyra Gilbert	Central State	Hamilton, Ohio	Guard
Jessie Kee	Kentucky State	Indianapolis, In.	Guard/Forward
Taylor Terry	Miles	Atlanta, Ga.	Forward
Reyana Miller	Clark Atlanta	Rialto, Ca.	Guard
India Blakely	Tuskegee	Troy, Ala.	Guard

 

Coach of the Year

James Rice, Benedict

 

Defensive Player of the Year

Alexis Carter, Tuskegee

 

Freshman of the Year

Raegan Jackson, Clark Atlanta

 

Newcomer of the Year

Alexis Carter, Tuskegee

 

Player of the Year:

Ay’Anna Bey, Benedict