Solomon Highlights Men’s Basketball Honor Roll
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The 2013-14 Sun Conference men’s basketball All-Conference teams and special awards were announced at the 2014 Sun Conference Tournament Banquet on Sunday evening on the campus of St. Thomas University. 14 players from eight league schools were named to the All-Conference roster, while five players were selected to the All-Defensive Team and five individual awards were handed out by Sun Conference Commissioner Mark Pope.
Chris Solomon was named the 2013-14 Player of the Year, becoming the fourth Seahawk player to earn the honor as it marked the sixth time a Northwood student-athlete was named the Player of the Year in men’s basketball. A junior from Los Angeles, Calif., Solomon averaged 20.6 points for the Seahawks, hitting more than three treys per game. Solomon registered double figure scoring totals in all but two games for NU, including three 30-point games and one 40-point performance.
Earning Newcomer of the Year accolades was Thomas’ Justyn Watkins. The senior from Altamonte Springs, Fla. finished the regular season as the conference’s leading scorer at 23.7 points per game, good for 10
th nationally. Watkins shot 52 percent from the floor and 78 percent from the free throw line while also recording 4.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. Watkins scored 30 or more points on nine different occasions.
Dalton Barnes of Embry-Riddle was selected as the league’s Freshman of the Year. The Port Orange, Fla. native averaged 12.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals for the Eagles in 28.1 minutes. Barnes led the Eagles in scoring eight times in his rookie campaign.
Five players were named to the All-Defensive Team in 2013-14, headlined by unanimous choice Kevin Hincapie from St. Thomas. Joining Hincapie was Jake Lockhart (Northwood), Barnes (Embry-Riddle) Timothy Mitchell (Southeastern) and Andrea Robinson (Thomas). For Hincapie, it was the second consecutive year he earned All-Defensive Team distinction.
Patrick Gayle took home Coach of the Year honors after leading the Bobcats to the 2013-14 Sun Conference regular season crown. Gayle, in his second season heading the STU program, finished the regular season 23-5 overall and 16-2 in league play. The Bobcats have won nine in a row entering the semifinals of the league tournament.
The 2013-14 Cazzie Russell Champion of Character Award was given to Embry-Riddle’s Daniel Kiesling. Kiesling, a sophomore from Lexington, Ky., became the second straight ERAU player to earn the honor, following Daniel Mondgraon in 2012-13. The Eagle forward carries a 3.3 GPA in mechanical engineering while contributing 6.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists.
Seven players from seven different teams were also honored as Academic All-Conference performers in the classroom. To be eligible for the Academic All-Conference, a student-athlete must have completed one full academic year at the league institution and have a 3.5 or better grade point average.
First Team All-Conference
Chris Solomon, Northwood
Justyn Watkins, Thomas
Dwayne Johnson, Southeastern
Floyd Battle, St. Thomas
DeForest Carter, Embry-Riddle
Fred Mattison, Northwood
Kevin Hincapie, St. Thomas
Second Team All-Conference
Matt Chattin, Ave Maria
Myles Smith, Johnson & Wales
Dalton Barnes, Embry-Riddle
Timothy Mitchell, Southeastern
Warren Hall, Warner
Cesar Pastrana, Embry-Riddle
Demonte' Simpson, St. Thomas
Player of the Year
Chris Solomon, Northwood
Newcomer of the Year
Justyn Watkins, Thomas
Freshman of the Year
Dalton Barnes, Embry-Riddle
All-Defensive Team
Kevin Hincapie, St. Thomas
Jake Lockart, Northwood
Dalton Barnes, Embry-Riddle
Timothy Mitchell, Southeastern
Andrea Robinson, Thomas
Cazzie Russell Champions of Character Award Winner
Daniel Kiesling, Embry-Riddle
Coach of the Year
Patrick Gayle, St. Thomas
Academic All-Conference
Joseph Guernsey, Ave Maria
Heberto Guanipa, St. Thomas
Jake Lockhart, Northwood
DeVante Perine, Webber International
James Travis Williams, Thomas
Quentin Tate, Johnson & Wales
Andy Schleitwiler, Embry-Riddle