By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
MIAA regular-season champion Washburn University earned seven awards from the conference coaches Tuesday, including the Defensive Player of the Year, the MIAA Coach of the Year, two first-team All-MIAA selections, a third-team All-MIAA pick, an MIAA honorable mention selection and an MIAA All-Defensive team pick.
Junior guard Jack Bachelor was named first-team All-MIAA along with sophomore forward Dillon Claussen. Junior guard Jeremiah Jones was honored three times, being named the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year, a member of the MIAA All-Defensive Team and a third-team All-MIAA selection.
Earning honorable mention All-MIAA honors was senior guard Bryson Smith and Ichabod coach Brett Ballard was named the MIAA Coach of the Year for the second straight season in a row.
Jack Bachelor, WashJburn University
Bachelor is a repeat first-team selection, averaging 15.1 points with 127 assists (4.4 per game). He is 19th in the nation in assist to turnover ratio and 31st in the nation in 3-pointers made with 79.
Dillon Claussen, Washburn University
Claussen leads the Ichabods in scoring at 15.4 points per game and averages a team-high 6.2 rebounds with 43 total blocks. He is 12th in the nation in field goal percentage at 61.5 percent.
Jeremiah Jones, Washburn University
The Ichabods recorded their second straight MIAA Defensive Player of the Year as Jones joins Jacob Hanna from last season.
Jones leads the nation in steals with 87 and his 3.00 steals per game is third overall. Jones also averages 9.6 points with 4.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.
Bryson Smith, Washburn University
Smith has averaged 11.3 points with 2.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists this season through 29 games. In his lone season as an Ichabod, Smith scored a career-high 26 points against Rogers State on Feb. 21 earlier this season.
Brett Ballard, Washburn University
Ballard repeated as the MIAA Coach of the Year after leading the Ichabods to a second consecutive MIAA regular season title after going 18-1 in MIAA play and 28-1 overall.
For the second season in a row the Ichabods won their first 22 games of the season and were ranked No. 1 in the nation for six weeks and currently ranked No. 3.
Last season, Ballard led the Ichabods to a 30-4 overall record with the 2025 NCAA Central Regional title and an appearance in the NCAA Elite Eight for the first time since 2001.
Former Seaman star Ty Henry, a junior at Missouri Western, was named to the All-MIAA third team.
The Ichabods will open the MIAA Championship Tournament in Kansas City, Mo. on Thursday night at 6 p.m.
ALL-MIAA MEN'S BASKETBALL
MIAA ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
Jabryn Anderson – Rogers State, Sr.
Jeremiah Jones – Washburn, Jr.
Dan Mukuna – Fort Hays State, Jr.
Kyran Tilley – Central Missouri, So.
Matthew Willenborg – Central Oklahoma, Jr.
ALL-MIAA FIRST TEAM
Jack Bachelor – Washburn, Jr.
Dillon Claussen – Washburn, So.
Lazerek Houston – Central Missouri, Fr.
Dan Mukuna – Fort Hays State, Jr.
Matthew Willenborg – Central Oklahoma, Jr.
ALL-MIAA SECOND TEAM
Jabryn Anderson – Rogers State, Sr.
Jevon Hill – Central Missouri, Jr.
Noah King – Missouri Western, Sr.
Christian Moore – Arkansas-Fort Smith, Sr.
Connor Rogers – Pittsburg State, Jr.
ALL-MIAA THIRD TEAM
Ty Henry – Missouri Western, Sr.
Jeremiah Jones – Washburn, Jr.
Josh Nwankwo – Central Oklahoma, Sr.
Kyran Tilley – Central Missouri, So.
Royce Williams – Northwest Missouri, Sr.
ALL-MIAA HONORABLE MENTION
Gavyn Elkamil – Missouri Southern, Jr.
Mason English – Pittsburg State, Fr.
Caden Fry – Rogers State, Sr.
Xavier Glenn – Northeastern State, Sr.
Kyle Grill – Fort Hays State, Jr.
Ja'Bryant Hill – Nebraska Kearney, Sr.
Tim Jordan – Rogers State, Jr.
Andrew Mason – Rogers State, Sr.
Colin Ruffin – Missouri Southern, Jr.
Brandon Scott – Arkansas-Fort Smith, Sr.
Bryson Smith – Washburn, Sr.
Jaden Taylor – Missouri Southern, Sr.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Lazerek Houston, Central Missouri
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jeremiah Jones, Washburn
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Christian Moore, Arkansas-Fort Smith
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Lazerek Houston, Central Missouri*
COACH OF THE YEAR: Brett Ballard, Washburn
*Indicates unanimous selection
