Martin named GPAC Player of the Year, Hoglund earns Freshman of the Year honors
MITCHELL, S.D. – For the first time in Dakota Wesleyan University men’s basketball history, the Great Plains Athletic Conference Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year winners reside in two DWU athletes. Tate Martin was named Hauff Mid-America Sports/GPAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year and Ty Hoglund was named Freshman of the Year, it was announced by the conference Wednesday.
MITCHELL, S.D. – For the first time in Dakota Wesleyan University men's basketball history, the Great Plains Athletic Conference Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year winners reside in two DWU athletes. Tate Martin was named Hauff Mid-America Sports/GPAC Men's Basketball Player of the Year and Ty Hoglund was named Freshman of the Year, it was announced by the conference Wednesday.
Martin is the first GPAC Player of the Year since Jalen Voss in 2014-15 and Brady Weibe in 2010-11. He ranks second in the NAIA in total assists with 282 on the season and second in assists per game with 8.8. He also ranks sixth in assist/turnover ratio at 3.3 and finished with 11 double-doubles on the season.
The Mitchell, S.D., native sits atop the school's all-time assist-list in a career and season after breaking both records this season with 828 and 282, respectively. Martin also ranks 35th in the DWU all-time scoring category with 1,241 points. His largest output of the season was against Concordia University on Feb. 12 at the Corn Palace as he scored a career-high 35 points and dished out 12 assists.
"I have a tremendous pride for Tate and his accomplishment," Head Coach Matt Wilber said. "He has worked extremely hard over his career to improve and become the player and leader he is today. An individual accomplishment like this doesn't come without team success and Tate has been a huge factor in not only the success of this year's team, but in every team the past four years. I am looking forward to another national tournament with him to close out an excellent career here at DWU."
Hoglund becomes the first Freshman of the Year winner for the Tigers since Jalen Voss in 2011-12 and David Nour in 2001-02. He finished the regular season ranked 31st in the NAIA in total points with 593 in his first season with the Tigers. Hoglund led the team in steals with 1.3 per game and was second in points per game with 18.5. His best performance of the season was against Concordia University in the GPAC quarterfinals as he scored 37 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
Junior Jason Spicer was named to the GPAC First Team for his efforts on the court. He led the team with 21.5 points per game and blocks with 32 on the season. The Sioux Falls, S.D., native ranks ninth in the NAIA in field-goal percentage at 63 percent. He also ranks 10th in total scoring with 689 points and 13th in points per game. He set a career-high in points with 30 against University of Jamestown on Dec. 14, 2016, and scored 29 points six different times throughout the season.
Trae Vandeberg of Madison, S.D., was named GPAC Second Team. He led the team in rebounds with 7.5 per game and ranked 29th nationally in defense rebounds per game with 6.2. Vandeberg was third on the team in points per game with 16 and finished with seven double-doubles on the season. He reached 1,000 points in his career on Dec. 30, 2016 against Southeastern University and currently sits in 38th on the DWU all-time scoring list.
The Tigers finished in the top-10 nationally in nine different categories offensively and finished the regular season with a 23-9 record overall.
