Four Tigers named to All-GPAC Teams
MITCHELL, S.D. – Four members of the Dakota Wesleyan University men’s basketball team were tabbed with All-Conference honors in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. Jason Spicer (Sioux Falls, S.D.) and Ty Hoglund (Dell Rapids, S.D.) were named All-GPAC First Team, while Trae Vandeberg (Madison, S.D.) was named All-GPAC Second Team and Nygel Drury (Madison, S.D.) was named All-GPAC Honorable Mention, it was announced by the conference Wednesday.
MITCHELL, S.D. – Four members of the Dakota Wesleyan University men's basketball team were tabbed with All-Conference honors in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. Jason Spicer (Sioux Falls, S.D.) and Ty Hoglund (Dell Rapids, S.D.) were named All-GPAC First Team, while Trae Vandeberg (Madison, S.D.) was named All-GPAC Second Team and Nygel Drury (Madison, S.D.) was named All-GPAC Honorable Mention, it was announced by the conference Wednesday.
Senior forward Spicer leads the team with 18.9 points per game, 5.7 rebounds per game and 5.6 assists per game. He has scored double-figures in 29 different games and scored at least 20 points in 16 games. He currently ranks seventh in the NAIA in total assists with 180 and ranks eighth nationally in assists per game. In his career Spicer has tallied 1,615 points, 15th on the DWU all-time scoring list, 559 rebounds and 351 assists. He tied a school record for free-throw accuracy in a game after making 15-of-15 free throws against Dakota State University on November 5, 2017.
Hoglund joins Spicer on the All-GPAC First Team for the second year in a row. In just his second season, the Dell Rapids, native tallied his 1,000th-career point against Midland University on January 14. Hoglund currently has 1,135 career points, 43rd in DWU history. He also ranks 23rd in the NAIA in free-throw percentage at 84.4 percent. Hoglund ranks second on the team with 18.8 points per game and has 3.6 rebounds per game and 2.1 assists per game. This season, he recorded a career-high with seven made three-point field goals against York College on November 11, 2017.
Vandeberg was the lone Tiger on the All-GPAC Second Team after an impressive senior season. He sits third on the team with 15.5 points per game and is third on the team with 5.0 rebounds per game. Vandeberg has tallied 1,408 points in his career, 23rd on the DWU all-time scoring list. He has also recorded 542 rebounds and 213 assists in his career. He recorded a career-high with nine assists against York College on November 11, 2017.
In his only season with DWU, Drury made an immediate impact being named All-GPAC Honorable Mention. He finished the regular season averaging 10.7 points per game and 4.0 rebounds per game. Drury scored double-figures in 21 games this season and notched a double-double against Hastings College on February 21 with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
The Tigers await the pairings of the NAIA Men's National Basketball Tournament, announced today. The NAIA Men's National Tournament begins on March 7 in Sioux Falls, S.D.