2012 MIAC ALL-CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAMS
MINNEAPOLIS -- Four Augsburg College men's basketball players earned honors from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference for their performances this season, it was announced this week.
Post player
Andy Grzesiak-Grimm (SR, Wyoming, Minn./St. Francis HS) and guard
Tyler Schmidt (JR, Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Henderson HS) were named to the All-MIAC squad, while
Cory Polta (SR, Spring Lake Park, Minn.) was named All-MIAC honorable-mention and also earned All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team honors.
Brett Sorenson (SR, Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville South HS) was named to the MIAC All-Defensive Team.
For Grzesiak-Grimm, it was his fourth conference honor, after being named as an All-MIAC honorable-mention selection in his junior and sophomore seasons, and as an MIAC All-First-Year Team in the 2008-09 season. Polta earned his second straight MIAC honor, after being named All-MIAC last season. Sorenson earned MIAC All-Defensive Team honors for the third straight year.
Grzesiak-Grimm, Polta and Sorenson all joined an elite list of 15 players in school history to appear in 100 or more career games, with Polta's 105 games tied for fifth-most and the 104 games for both Grzesiak-Grimm and Sorenson tied for eighth-most.
Grzesiak-Grimm had the best statistical year of his career in 2011-12, nearly averaging a double-double, with 15.2 points and 9.7 rebounds per-game, while also recording 14 blocked shots, 21 steals and 50 assists.
In MIAC overall statistics (all games), Grzesiak-Grimm led the MIAC in rebounding, while ranking seventh in scoring. His .554 field-goal percentage ranked fifth among conference players, while his 0.54 blocked shots per-game was tied for 15th-best.
In conference games-only, Grzesiak-Grimm ranked first in rebounding (10.1 rpg), seventh in scoring (15.7 ppg), 10th in field-goal percentage (.543) and 14th in free-throw percentage (.768).
Grzesiak-Grimm finished his career prominently in Augsburg's men's basketball record book. He became the 18th player in school history to reach the 1,000-point plateau in career scoring, finishing his career 12th with 1,151 points. He finished his career with 723 rebounds, ranking sixth in the category and also becoming one of only four players in school history to record 1,000 career points and 700 career rebounds. His .570 career field-goal percentage is fourth-best in school history, while his 80 blocked shots are fifth-most, his 294 career free throws made are tied for eighth-most and his 412 career free-throw attempts are eighth-most.
Polta and Grzesiak-Grimm were one of the most dominant low-post combinations in the conference this season, enabling the Auggies to lead the league in rebounding margin (plus-6.5) in overall play, ranking first in offensive rebounds per-game (11.85) and second in defensive rebounds per-game (24.12).
Polta averaged 11.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per-game in 2011-12, while also recording a team-best 40 blocked shots, with 14 steals and 31 assists. In MIAC overall statistics, Polta ranked sixth in rebounding, 24th in scoring and second in blocked shots (1.54 bpg). In conference games-only, Polta ranked fourth in rebounds per-game (7.1), 20th in scoring (11.7 ppg), 15th in field-goal percentage (.508) and third in blocked shots per-game (1.50).
Polta will also figure prominently in Augsburg's record list, ranking second in school history with 126 career blocked shots, 11th in career field-goal percentage (.513), 12th in career rebounds (578) and tied for 22nd in career scoring (904).
Polta was also named to the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team, as part of the conference's sportsmanship initiative. Members of the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team are selected by their coaches and teammates as individuals who demonstrate ideals of positive sportsmanship both on and off the field of competition.
Schmidt became one of the top sharpshooters in the MIAC this season, leading the league's overall statistics with 72 three-pointers made (2.77 per-game), while ranking second in three-point percentage (.444) and first in free-throw percentage (.911). His 13.8 points per-game ranked 12th among MIAC players in overall statistics. He hit a league-best 52 three-pointers in conference games-only, while ranking third in three-point percentage (.423), first in free-throw percentage (.907) and 14th in scoring (13.2 ppg).
Schmidt's 72 three-pointers this season ranked fourth-best in a single year in school history, while his .444 three-point percentage was ninth-best. He connected on at least one 3-pointer in all 26 games this season, a streak that is now at 35 straight games over the past two seasons. His 102 career three-pointers currently rank 10th-most in school history. In his three seasons (63 games, 26 starts), he has 533 points (8.5 ppg), 81 rebounds (1.3 rpg), 36 steals and 74 assists.
Sorenson developed a reputation as a strong defender during his career, as demonstrated by his three straight seasons being named to the five-person MIAC All-Defensive Team. This year, he led the Auggies with 31 steals, a 1.19 steals per-game that ranked 12th among MIAC players in overall statistics. His 1.25 steals per-game in league play ranked 11th. Sorenson averaged 3.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per-game, while also contributing 21 assists and four blocked shots.
In his career, Sorenson finished with 513 points (4.9 ppg), 402 rebounds (3.9 rpg), 118 assists and 26 blocked shots. His 104 career steals ranks seventh-best in school history.
Augsburg finished 16-10 overall, 13-7 in MIAC play, reaching the MIAC postseason playoffs for the third time in the last four seasons. The 16 victories marked the sixth straight year that Augsburg has recorded double-digit wins under seventh-year head coach
Aaron Griess, and the fifth straight year that Augsburg has had at least 10 wins in MIAC play.
