I saw our friends over at Purple and Gold Nation did some postseason-awards for the 2010-2011 Albany Great Danes. I thought it was a cool idea, so I'm busting out my own version in order to celebrate this past season's Vermont Catamount squad. Enjoy...
The TJ Sorrentine Award:
This year's Sorrentine award, given to a player who exudes guts and senior leadership, goes to Evan Fjeld. It could be a long season without Fjeld next year. He was the backbone of this Vermont team. When he was not 100% in the conference tournament, it was reflected by the team's play. It was not just due to the gaping hole he left in the middle of the floor, but also the leadership he contributed on and off the floor. I hope that mustache is(n't) cut by now, Evan. I really do(n't).
The David Hehn award:
Given to the most integral role player for the Catamounts, this year's winner is Matt Glass. While some have posited that Glass has not lived up to the hype since his transfer from UMass, Glass played his share of effective minutes for the Cats. Glass is the type of player whose contributions don't necessarily show up on the stat sheet, so it is easy for people who don't watch Glass night in and night out to assume he was not as big of a threat as it had been initially imagined. I expect Glass to have a bigger role in the offense next season, as well as continue to defend and do some of the dirty work for the Catamounts.
The Joe Trapani Award:
Keegan Hyland wins the Trapani award, given to the player who wastes no time in transferring away from UVM. You know... this award is going to be called the Keegan Hyland award from now on. Trapani actually stayed an entire season. Hyland? Two weeks? 10 days?
The Marqus Blakely Award:
Joey Accaoui wins this award. It's a joke. Nobody will win the Marqus Blakely award until they serve up facials to every team in the league. And then do it to Syracuse in the tournament.
The Germain Mopa-Njila Award:
Pat Bergmann. See where I'm going with this one? Yeah, this award is for the player who has the "where in the world did that just come from" postseason performance. Bergmann exploded for 16 and 8. His previous season highs were 6 and 4 -- achieved in separate games. His previous career highs were 6 and 5. Say it with me now: Offensive EXPLOSION.
The Taylor Coppenrath Award:
Brian Voelkel wins the team's MVP/MOP award, which could just as easily be called the Eddie Benton Award. Obviously, Fjeld was also in contention for this award. But what Brian Voelkel did this season makes absolutely no sense. Voelkel averaged 9.6 RPG, 4.5 APG, 7 PPG, and 1.6 SPG. And that doesn't sum up what Voelkel meant to this team. Voelkel did actually everything: he defended guards and bigs, he ran the point, he played the 3, sometimes he played the "oh, there are assigned positions in basketball usually?" position. The passes he makes don't translate well into writing or talking -- you really have to seem him pass the basketball to believe it. If this kid doesn't take home the America East POY award at least once in the next three years, it's because Austin Rivers rescinded his commitment to Duke in order to play for the UMBC Retrievers.
And that about does it for From the Parking Lot's first post-season awards.
Enjoy the offseason (I never can, it's always way too sunny in Vermont). November will be here before we know it.
Smart Man
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