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FEB.
21 — Walsh, Buller, Daugherty Earn MCC Accolades
Goshen
lands pair of All-MCC players; Daugherty named top league
coach |
Indianapolis, IN — This season, the
Goshen College men’s basketball team accomplished a variety of feats
never before achieved in school history. On Monday, the program was noted
for its success.
The Mid-Central Conference announced its 2004-2005 All-Conference
selections, with junior Eric Walsh grabbing first team All-MCC honors
while classmate Jordan Buller notched second team status. The awards marked
the first time in Goshen College history that a pair of men’s basketball
players were named to All-MCC teams in the same season. Senior Paul Kopanksi
just missed making All-MCC Third Team, and was an honorable mention all-conference
selection.
In addition to the Leafs’ players garnering attention, fourth-year
Goshen head coach Stan Daugherty was honored for his work as well. After
guiding his team to back to back 20-win seasons and a 9-7 MCC record this
year, Daugherty was named the 2004-2005 MCC Coach of the Year, marking
the program’s first coaching honor since Dwight Gingerich claimed
the award during the 2000-2001 season.
“These awards are all great honors, but they couldn’t have
been achieved without every single member of our program,” Daugherty
said. “This
(recognition) is a representation of how hard all of our players
have worked to make one another better. We’ve been fortunate to
win some close games this year, but it all goes back to how competitive
all of
our players have been for the entire year. It’s a great honor to
be recognized in this way, mainly because these awards are voted
on by the other league coaches. We’re very appreciative of these
awards.”
Walsh just missed being named the MCC’s Player of the Year by a
few votes, as Huntington College sophomore Alex Koch claimed both that
honor and the MCC’s Newcomer of the Year award after transferring
from Wright State. Walsh currently leads his team in both points per game
(18.5) and rebounds per game (7.8), and leads the nation in both free
throws made and attempted (214 for 300, 71.3 percent). The award marked
the third in as many years for Walsh, who was a first team all-conference
performer last season and made third team All-MCC in his freshman season.
He is currently second on Goshen’s all-time scoring list with 1,682
points, and needs just 218 more points to become the program’s all-time
leading scorer.
“Eric is very deserving on being named to the league’s first
team again,” Daugherty said. “He was very close to being named
the player of the year and I certainly think that he would have
been deserving of that honor also. Eric works extremely hard in the off-season
and that
work has allowed him to become one of the top players in the
league. He is one of the most competitive players that I have coached
in my 30 years,
and he is a big reason for our success.”
Buller’s second team honor was his first conference award of his
career, as the point guard has increased his production greatly
this season. In addition to averaging 11.1 points per game — second
behind Walsh — Buller
leads the team in assists (144) and is second on the squad in
three-pointers made (42). Buller was the first Goshen College
player to ever be named
NAIA National Player of the Week, as he led the Leafs to wins
over then-eighth ranked Huntington on Feb. 8 and 12th-ranked
Taylor University on Feb. 12. In Goshen’s last three conference
games, Buller is averaging 17.6 points per game on 45 percent shooting
from the field.
“Jordan has developed into one of the top point guards in our
league,” Daugherty said. “We have asked him to score more
this year and that has made him more difficult for opponents
to defend. When Jordan is shooting the ball well and making good
decisions with the
ball, we are a very good offensive team.”
Kopanski has also had a stellar finishing stretch to his career,
averaging 10.2 points per game and 6.7 rebounds per game this
season. He
has played even better as of late, averaging 13.6 points per
game on 66.7 percent
shooting from the floor. Kopanski transferred to Goshen from
Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming at the beginning of last
year.
“Paul has improved dramatically in his time here, and we will
miss his presence next year,” Daugherty said. “When he is
active on both ends of the court, he is a very difficult player
for people to go against.”
Daugherty’s Coach of the Year award comes after a dramatic re-building
of the program in just four short years at the helm, setting numerous
program records in the process. Last year’s 21-12 overall record
was the first 20-win season in program history, while this year’s
team — currently at 21-10 — is guaranteed to beat that win-loss
percentage regardless of how the team fares in post-season play. The Leafs’ third-place
finish in MCC play is also tops in program records, as Goshen will host
a first-round MCC Tournament game for the first time in program history
this Wednesday night.
“Again, winning the Coach of the Year award goes back to our players,
and how hard they’ve worked in the time that we’ve been here,” Daugherty
said. “We have had good leadership from our upperclassmen, and we
have been very competitive on a daily basis. If we continue to
display those qualities with a desire to improve each day, we will have
a chance
to be successful every time we step on the floor.”
For a complete list of All-MCC awards and selections, click here.
Goshen will next face sixth-seeded Spring Arbor University in
the first round of MCC Tournament play Wednesday night at the
Roman Gingerich Center.
Game time is set for 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 for adults and $2
for students. Advanced ticket sales are available at the Goshen
College athletic department
and will also be sold at the door Wednesday night. For further
information call (574) 535-7496. |
  Junior
Eric Walsh
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