Pitt-Johnstown junior center Patrick Grubbs (Turtle Creek) was named First-Team West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) Men's Basketball by the league's coaches, while senior guard Danny Branch (Washington, D.C.) and sophomore guard Nick Novak (Murrysville, Pa.) were tabbed second-team. In addition, forward Bill Luther (Gibsonia, Pa.) has been selected to the conference's all-freshman team... (Full WVIAC Release)
West Liberty (WV) University senior guard Corey Pelle has been named the WVIAC's Player of the Year. Seton Hill University guard Matt Miller has garnered Freshman of the Year honors, while West Liberty's Jim Crutchfield ran away with the Coach of the Year award.
Grubbs, a two-time WVIAC player of the week selection, leads Pitt-Johnstown in scoring (18.5 ppg.), rebounding (8.6 rpg.) and field goal percentage (68.5%). Grubbs, who led the country in field goal percentage in 2009-10, currently ranks fifth. Grubbs is also 37th in rebounding (8.7 rpg.) and 61st in scoring (18.5 ppg.). Grubbs, a second-team all-conference choice last year and a member of the all-freshman team in 2008-09, has been nominated for Daktronics and Division II Bulletin All-America honors.
Branch, who holds the Pitt-Johnstown career record for three-point field goals with 264, leads the team in three-pointers (78) and is third in both scoring (17.5 ppg.) and assists (91). He ranks 36th in the nation in three-point field goals per game (2.8) and 63rd in three-point field goal percentage (35.9%). Branch was named to the all-freshman team in 2007-08 and to the second-team a year ago.
Novak, an all-freshman performer in 2009-10, is the Mountain Cats second-leading scorer (18.3 ppg.). He also leads Pitt-Johnstown in assists (146) and is second in field goal percentage (56.8%). Nationally, Novak, a two-time WVIAC Player of the Week choice, is 10th in free-throw percentage, 22nd in assists per game, 41st in field goal percentage, and 68th in scoring. Novak has been nominated for Daktronics and Division II Bulletin All-America honors.
Luther joined Head Coach Bob Rukavina's starting line-up this year as a true freshman on his way to earning a spot on the WVIAC All-Freshman Team. Luther ranks second on the team in rebounding (5.3 rpg.) and fifth in scoring (11.0 ppg.). He is also third in three-point field goals-made (58) and field goal percentage (55.7%).
Pelle, who was a first-team all-conference selection a year ago, took home the top individual honor in the WVIAC. He has helped guide West Liberty to a 25-0 record on the year. Pelle guided the Hilltoppers to their first-ever No. 1 ranking and a perfect 22-0 mark in conference action. Pelle is netting 16.4 points per game (18th in the WVIAC) and is the top scorer on an evenly balanced scoring squad while playing just 25 minutes a game.
Miller, the freshman of the year, was second on Seton Hill's team in scoring (16.1 points), rebounding (4.7 rpg) and steals (35). Miller led the Griffins in assists (96) while starting every game during the regular season. Miller upped his scoring in league play to 16.7 points a game. His scoring average was tops among all freshmen and placed him 20th in the conference.
Coach Crutchfield picked up his third Coach of the Year honor after guiding West Liberty to its second consecutive league title and a 25-0 record. In his seventh season with the Hilltoppers, Crutchfield has taken the team to new heights, as it has held the No. 1 spot in the nation for much of the year. Every year, he has led West Liberty to at least 20 wins. His squad is the highest-scoring team in the nation with 115.5 points per game. Crutchfield's squad is outscoring the opposition by 35 points a contest and is making 16 three-point shots an outing.
2010-11 All-WVIAC Men's Basketball
First Team:
Nate Barnes, Jr., G, Alderson-Broaddus
Jordan Fortney, Sr., G, West Liberty
Patrick Grubbs, Jr., C, Pitt Johnstown
Jon Liggins, Sr., G, University of Charleston
Josh Miller, Sr., G, West Virginia State
Corey Pelle, Sr., G, West Liberty
Barry Shetzer, Sr., G, West Liberty
Isaac Thornton, So., G, Fairmont State
Marquis Weddle, Sr., G, West Virginia Wesleyan
Second Team:
Javaughn Acree-Manuel, Jr., G, Concord
Danny Branch, Sr., G, Pitt Johnstown
Justin Caldwell, Sr., G, Glenville State
Steve Catich, Jr., F, Wheeling Jesuit
Chris Giles, Jr., G, Seton HIll
Chad Moore, So., F, Shepherd
Nick Novak, So., G, Pitt Johnstown
Donavin Vinson, Sr., F, Ohio Valley
Honorable Mention:
Reggie Cook, Sr., G, Davis & Elkins
Steve Custis, Jr., G, Fairmont State
Terrence Green, Sr., G/F, Fairmont State
Bo King, Jr., G, West Virginia State
Hickman Simmons, Jr., F, Bluefield State
Malik Tinsley, Jr., F, Davis & Elkins
Tim Turner, Sr., G, Davis & Elkins
All-Freshman:
Brad DuPont, G, Wheeling Jesuit
Bill Luther, F, Pitt Johnstown
Matt Miller, G, Seton Hill
Brantley Osborne, G, Shepherd
Mark Shadowens, G, West Liberty
