The University of Minnesota Duluth men's and women's basketball teams were honored today as five of thier athletes were selected by Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference coaches to the All-Conference teams. Sean Seaman (So., G, Duluth, Minn.) took home First Team honors on the men's side while Dusty Decker (Sr., F, Monticello, Minn.) was named to the Honorable Mention Team. Lindsey Dietz (So., F, Elk River, Minn.) was the women's representitive on the All-NSIC First Team as Katie Pavlich (Sr., G, Cloquet, Minn.) and Tanysha Scott (Jr., G, Minneapolis, Minn.) were each named as Honorable Mention selections.
Although she missed half of the NSIC regular season due to injuries, Dietz had ample time to prove herself as one of the leagues elite players. Today the league's coaches selected her as the 2004 NSIC Player of the Year as well as the All-NSIC First Team.
The forward was named as the Preseason Player of the Year in the NSIC this fall after helping lead the Bulldogs to a 25-5 record, NSIC regular season and tournament title and a berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament a year ago.
This season, in just nine conference games, Dietz averaged 17.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. She was an impressive 46-55 from the line (.836) while shooting 54-95 from the field (.568). Overall the sophomore led the Bulldogs in scoring (20.9 ppg) and rebounding (7.0). She was a major factor in the Bulldogs' second place finish in the NSIC regular season standings.
Pavlich’s All-NSIC Honorable Mention selection is the first of the senior's career. During the 2003-04 season she has been an offensive spark ranking third on the team in scoring (9.1 ppg) and in assists (2,36 apg). The guard has been the Bulldog’s leading outside threat in each of the past two seasons, this year draining 44-of-133 (.331) from behind the arc.
Scott also makes her first appearance on the All-NSIC Honorable Mention Team. She leads the UMD averaging 2.82 assists per game while ranking second in scoring (9.9 ppg). She is UMD’s most accurate three-point shooter, making better than 37 percent (22-58) of her three-pointers this season. Shooting 41 percent from the floor and having a knack for driving the open lane, Scott has been a vital player in the Bulldogs success this season.
On the men’s side of things, Seaman gets his first nod for the All-NSIC First Team after being selected as the Honorable Mention team in 2003. This season the Duluth, Minn. native leads the Bulldogs in scoring (16.3 ppg), assists (4.4 apg), three point shooting percentage (.439) and field goal percentage (.490). His 4.4 assist per game ranks him third among all NSIC players. In his sophomore campaign, Seaman managed a double double and has scored more than 20 points on 10 occasions.
Being selected to the 2004 All-NSIC Honorable Mention Team, Decker receives his first conference accolades. The senior ranks second on the team scoring 15.6 ppg. He leads the team from behind the arc draining 74 three pointers and setting a UMD single-season record by attempting 207 treys this season. Decker has also been a workhorse in the paint hauling in 5.3 rebounds per game to lead the Bulldogs.
Both UMD teams extended their seasons Wednesday when they won their NSIC Tournament first round games. Now it is on to the semifinals and the Gangelhoff Center on the campus of Concordia University-St. Paul, in St. Paul, Minn. The men will get things started when they attempt to knock off the NSIC’s regular season champion and the tournament’s No. 1 seed, Bemidji State University at 2:00 p.m. The women will also be in action versus the Beavers when they tip off at 4:00 p.m.
First Team
Pos. Yr. Ht. School
Adam Daley G Sr. 6-6 Bemidji State
Charles Hanks F Sr. 6-8 Bemidji State
James Roberson G Jr. 5-10 Bemidji State
Brian Jamros G Jr. 6-4 Concordia-St. Paul
Sean Seaman G So. 6-6 Minnesota Duluth
Adam Grant C So. 6-7 Northern State
Matt Hammer G So. 6-4 Northern State
Brett Cain C Jr. 6-8 Wayne State
Travis Leech F/C Sr. 6-9 Winona State
David Zellman G Jr. 6-8 Winona State
Honorable Mention
Pos. Yr. Ht. School
Elijah Starzl F/C Jr. 6-7 SW Minnesota State
Dusty Decker F Sr. 6-6 Minnesota Duluth
Aaron Busack C So. 6-7 Northern State
Chris Anderson F Jr. 6-6 MSU Moorhead
Deandre Buchanan F Jr. 6-6 MSU Moorhead
Jared Keaveny G Sr. 6-1 SW Minnesota State
Adam Sullivan G Fr. 6-5 Minnesota Crookston
Player of the Year: Charles “Buster†Hanks, BSU
Newcomer of the Year: James Roberson, BSU
Defensive Players of the Year: Steve Smiley, NSU
John Hopf, WSU
Coach of the Year: Jeff Guiot, BSU
2004 NSIC Women's All-Conference Team
First Team
Pos. Yr. Ht. School
Stacia Swanson F Jr. 5-11 Bemidji State
Kayla Christensen G Jr. 6-0 Concordia-St. Paul
Jennifer Pozzani G Jr. 5-7 Concordia-St. Paul
Lindsey Dietz F/C So. 6-0 Minnesota Duluth
Liz Klukas F/C Sr. 6-1 MSU Moorhead
Michelle Bruns G Jr. 5-10 SW Minnesota State
Michelle Hanson C Jr. 6-1 Northern State
Kristin Humphries F/C So. 6-2 Wayne State
Tanisha Gilbert G Jr. 5-10 Winona State
Anne Straate C So. 6-1 Winona State
Jenny Johnson G Sr. 5-7 Winona State
Honorable Mention
Pos. Yr. Ht. School
Desirae Jones G Jr. 5-6 Concordia-St. Paul
Stephanie Mayclin G Jr. 5-6 Minnesota Crookston
Karna Plaine F So. 5-10 Minnesota Crookston
Katie Pavlich G Sr. 5-3 Minnesota Duluth
Tanysha Scott G Jr. 5-7 Minnesota Duluth
Carin Rambow G Sr. 5-6 Northern State
Regan French F Jr. 5-8 SW Minnesota State
Player of the Year: Lindsey Dietz, UMD
Freshman of the Year: Maggie Gernbacher, BSU
Defensive Player of the Year: Jennifer Pozzani, CSP
Coach of the Year: Mike Power, BSU
