Clarksville, Ark.-U of O senior forward Michael Bollman was named the American Southwest Conference Men's Basketball East Division Co-Player of the Year, which was selected by the league's 15 head coaches and announced by the league office on Tuesday.
Bollman also garnered a spot on the All-ASC Team and the ASC All-East Division First Team. Bollman, a 6-7, 235-pound native of Clarksville, becomes the first Ozarks men’s basketball player to be named ASC Player of the Year. Bollman was runner-up in the league scoring crown after finishing with a 20.2 per game scoring average. Bollman proved to be a dominate inside force ranking ninth in the conference in rebounding (7.3) and eleventh in field goal percentage (55%). "Michael brought a real inside presence to our team in terms of his strength, scoring ability and versatility," said head coach Matt O’Connor. "He did all we could ask of him this year. He ran the floor in transition and did an excellent job defensively. This is something that reflects well on our program and I’m happy he received the honor." Bollman was the team leader in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage and finished third in steals (1.3). Bollman shot 62 percent from the free throw line and 27 percent from the three-point line. He recorded five double-doubles during the season and the Eagles in scoring in 14 of their 24 games. He recorded a season high 28 points against Mississippi College and Bluffton College and had a season-best 16 rebounds against Sul Ross State. He recorded eight or more rebounds in nine games and had 17 games with at least 20 points. Bollman received ASC East Division Player of the Week honors in January after averaging 24.6 points and 12.3 rebounds per game during a three-game stretch. "I thought he was at his best in our biggest games this year," said O’Connor. "And that’s what you want out of your best players. His performance against Mississippi College and McMurry were critical. He made a lot of plays and was the difference maker in each of those wins." The Eagles finished the season with a 14-10 overall record and a 7-5 conference record.
Topics: Athletics