Covenant's Crumly Named Conference Player Of The Year

For a second consecutive season, Covenant men's basketball forward Will Crumly has been voted the USA South Player of the Year and a first team All-USA South, announced the conference on Wednesday.

Sophomore Chris Barnette collected All-USA South third team honors, while senior Mitchell Hollis was Covenant's representative on the All-Sportsmanship team.

Crumly, a junior forward from Marietta, Ga., becomes just the second player in USA South men's basketball history to be named player of the year in consecutive seasons, joining Shenandoah's Phil Dixon (1994-95, 1995-96).

The junior also picks up his second straight All-USA South first team honor.

Crumly is averaging 17.5 points, while shooting 55.8 percent from the floor, with 8.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game with nine double-doubles this year. He currently leads the USA South in field goals made (178), and is second in defensive rebounds (179), and third in total rebounds (227). Against USA South foes in the regular season, Crumly made a league-best 122 field goals en route to averaging 17.3 points per game.

A two-time USA South Player of the Week honoree this year, Crumly surpassed 1,000 career points during the year and became the fastest player in the program's NCAA era to achieve the feat. Crumly cracked 1,300 career points with his 25-point effort in Covenant's comeback win over Maryville in the USA South Tournament first round on Tuesday night.

Crumly has scored 20-plus points in a game 10 times this season, including a season-high 29 in a win over Maryville on Dec. 4. The preseason D3hoops.com All-America has scored in double-figures in all but three games this year.

Barnette, a sophomore from Wake Forest, N.C., garners his first All-USA South honor with a third team selection. The sophomore transfer made a mark in his first season as a Scot by averaging 14.3 points, 4.6 assists, and 5.9 rebounds per game. Barnette leads the USA South in assists per game and total assists (119), and he dished out a career-high 11 dimes in a win over Berea on Jan. 28. He scored in double figures 20 times this year, with a career-high 28 in a win over LaGrange on Jan. 11.

Hollis, a senior from Roswell, Ga., is Covenant's representative on the All-Sportsmanship team for the first time in his career. A leader for the Scots, Hollis has played in all 26 games this season and scored a career-high 29 points in a win over Sewanee on Nov. 9. Hollis ignited the Scots to an overtime win over Maryville on Tuesday night in the USA South Tournament first round with three consecutive 3-pointers to begin a Covenant rally late in the second half.

Maryville freshman Felix Uadiale was named the USA South Rookie of the Year, while Averett head coach David Doino earned Coach of the Year honors. All awards are voted on by the men's basketball coach at each institution.

The No. 1 West seed Covenant (15-11) will play No. 3 East seed Methodist in a USA South Tournament semifinal on Friday at 5 p.m. at the Grant Center on the campus of Averett University in Danville, Va.