2019-20 MIAC MEN'S BASKETBALL AWARDS

MINNEAPOLIS -- For the second straight year, Augsburg University's Booker Coplin (SR, Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee HS) was named the Joe Hutton Men's Basketball Player of the Year by the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, leading a group of four Auggies who earned postseason honors from the MIAC, it was announced on Tuesday.

Coplin was named to the six-player All-MIAC first team for the second straight year, after earning All-MIAC second-team honors his sophomore season. He was also named to the five-player All-MIAC Defensive Team on a vote of conference coaches for the second year in a row. Guard Matt Carik (JR, Rogers, Minn./Rogers HS) was named to the five-player All-MIAC second team after receiving third-team honors last year. Guard Joe Palmer (FY, Faribault, Minn./Faribault HS) was named to the five-player All-First-Year Team, and guard Isaiah Robinson (SR, Apple Valley, Minn./Henry Sibley HS) was named to the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team. It's the first MIAC honors for Palmer and Robinson.

Coplin is the second Auggie to earn MIAC Men's Basketball Player of the Year honors twice, joining Devean George '99, who earned the honor in both 1997-98 and 1998-99. It's the eighth time an Augsburg player has earned MIAC Men's Basketball Player of the Year honors in program history. In addition to Coplin and George, Brian Ammann '85 earned the honor in 1984-85, Jeoffrey Reed '00 was named co-Player of the Year in 1999-2000, Dan Kornbaum '14 earned the honor in 2013-14, and Collin Olmscheid '18 earned the honor in 2017-18.

This season, Coplin shared the Joe Hutton MIAC Player of the Year award with Saint John's senior wing player Jubie Alade. The award is named for Hutton, who won 591 games coaching at Hamline University from 1930 to 1965. 

For the second straight season, Coplin led all MIAC players in overall scoring, averaging 23.7 points per-game. He also led the conference in points scored (617), field goals (207) and free throws (141) made, while standing second in the league with 62 three-pointers. His 220 rebounds were second-most among league players, with his 8.5 rebounds per-game average was third-best. He also finished second in the conference in steals (42), fifth in assists (99) and fifth in blocked shots (28).

Coplin earned MIAC Athlete of the Week honors three times this season (seven times in his career) and D3hoops.com Team of the Week honors twice this season (five times in his career). He scored in double-figures in 25 of his 26 games this season and 73 of 81 games in his Auggie career, scored 20-plus points in 20 games (49 career), and 30-plus points in four games (15 career). He finished this season with 11 double-doubles (28 career)

Named a first-team Preseason All-American by D3hoops.com this season, Coplin had one of the best individual seasons in Augsburg men's basketball history last season. He was named Division III National Player of the Year by the National Basketball Coaches Association, the first time an Auggie had ever earned the honor, and earned All-America honors by both the NABC (first team) and D3hoops.com (second team). He was also named NABC Division III West District Player of the Year, as a first-team honoree to the NABC Coaches' Division III All-West District Team, and as a first-team honoree to the D3hoops.com All-West Region team.

A transfer who played his first season at Wisconsin-River Falls, Coplin shined in his three Auggie campaigns, finishing fifth in school history with 1,784 points in an Auggie uniform (83 games, 81 starts). His 21.5 Augsburg points per-game career average is third-best in school history. He finished with 668 rebounds (seventh in school history), 280 assists (fifth), 157 steals (third) and 65 blocked shots (eighth) as an Auggie. His 179 career three-pointers are fourth in school history, while his 87.2-percent free-throw percentage (361-of-414) is a school record.

Including his first year at UW-River Falls (111 games, 91 starts), Coplin finished his career with 1,868 points (16.8 per-game), with 725 rebounds (6.5 per-game), 193 three-pointers, 311 assists, 178 steals and 70 blocked shots.

A biopsychology major with a 3.60 grade-point average, Coplin was also named to the College Sports Information of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America Division III Men's Basketball Team in 2018-19 as a second-team honoree. He was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team for the second straight year this season.

Carik established himself as one of the top all-around guards in the MIAC in his second year as a starter, averaging 13.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per-game. His scoring average was 15th-best in th MIAC, with his 80 assists 10th-best and 27 steals 14th-best. His 44.2-percent three-point shooting average (46-of-104) was third-best in the MIAC. He scored in double figures in 13 of his 20 games played this season.

In his three seasons at Augsburg (76 games, 47 starts), Carik now has scored 708 points (9.3 per-game), with 102 three-pointers, 328 rebounds (4.3 per-game), 249 assists (eighth in school history) and 75 steals.

Palmer had an outstanding rookie season as a guard, especially in the second half of the season. He finished his initial campaign with an 8.6 points per-game average, playing in all 26 games and starting eight. He averaged 3.5 rebounds per-game, while contributing 31 assists and 13 steals.

Palmer scored in double figures in 12 games this season, including seven of his last eight starts. He played 20 or more minutes in 17 of his 26 games, including his last 15 games in a row.

Robinson was 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.

Robinson played in 22 games (nine starts) as a guard, averaging 2.8 points and 1.6 rebounds per-game with 19 assists and 10 steals. In his career (46 games, five starts), he averaged 2.6 points and 1.2 rebounds per-game, scoring 120 points with 53 rebounds, 32 assists and 12 steals.

Under 15th-year head coach Aaron Griess, Augsburg finished 18-8 overall, 14-6 in MIAC play, earning an MIAC postseason playoff berth for the fifth straight season and 10th time in the last 12 years. It's the 10th time in the last 12 years that Augsburg has recorded 15 or more victories in a season.