At this point, you should have already dived into our preseason poll and picks for the all-Horizon League teams. Here, leaning into my privilege as the head of this pop stand, I have laid out my preseason picks for the other league accolades.
Coach of the Year – Bart Lundy, Milwaukee
The preseason generally lends itself to safer picks, particularly someone whose team resides at the top of our poll. Given multiple factors, including the swath of new coaches coming into the league that remain a complete unknown, I’ll also be erring on the side of caution, albeit not completely.
Lundy’s turnaround of a moribund Panthers program since his arrival is, well, what the Milwaukee faithful have expected and craved for years. Starting his tenure with back-to-back 20-win seasons has also endeared him to most pundits and prognosticators when it comes to making these sorts of preseason predictions.
This selection was extremely close, much as our preseason poll was, between Lundy and Purdue Fort Wayne’s Jon Coffman. Realistically, you wouldn’t go wrong with picking either of them, but for me, Lundy’s ability to address some of the shortcomings within the Panther roster, specifically depth, gave him the edge for me in this go-around.
Newcomer of the Year – AJ McKee, Milwaukee
For years, the Horizon League had focused primarily on accolades for freshmen rather than newcomers. That changed last year, likely in a reflection of the conference’s turn towards the influx of players coming from transfer portal in recent years. Because of that, it’s only logical that we do the same thing here.
As you can expect, there are plenty of options to choose from, but one in particular stands out above the rest: the Queens transfer McKee. From a transitional standpoint, his should be relatively seamless, considering that he’s reuniting with his former Royals coach Lundy.
Performance-wise, the Panthers know what they’re getting, which is an extremely productive piece and almost certain to complement his Milwaukee teammates in the backcourt, which include Erik Pratt, Kentrell Pullian and fellow transfer Themus Fulks. Last season with Queens, he averaged just under 19 points per game and should be considered a dangerous scoring option that opponents will need to take into account defensively.
In a new environment with a familiar face as his coach, the sky is the limit for McKee, and, as he’s done in our preseason all-conference picks, can make an argument for achieving post-season honors as well.
Freshman of the Year – Jeremiah Johnson, Green Bay
Let’s be honest: Four-star recruits generally don’t come to the Horizon League as freshmen under any circumstances. True, a few of them eventually end up here as transfers, but none of them tend to start out here.
That’s what makes Johnson’s journey unique. Then again, a lot of his journey has already been unique. He fought his way back on the court after being shot and nearly dying his sophomore year in high school, working his way back into prominence and, in turn, on the radar of some pretty high-profile schools. He was initially committed to Oklahoma State, but when Mike Boynton was ousted, Johnson re-considered his options.
Beating out Florida and Texas A&M, The Cowboys’ loss became the Phoenix’s gain. Under Doug Gottlieb, you can certainly expect to see plenty of Johnson, which should provide him with the chance to make a huge impact for Green Bay.
Defensive Player of the Year – Trey Robinson, Northern Kentucky
Ric Flair said it best: To be the man, you’ve got to beat the man. And at the top of the defensive heap in the conference is Robinson. With an extra year of eligibility, Robinson, like his now-former teammate Marques Warrick, could have tested the waters of the transfer portal and the likely reward of considerable NIL money.
But he didn’t. Instead, Robinson decided that Truist Arena is his home, and he’ll continue to fight to hell and high water to defend it. Naturally, as last season’s Defensive Player of the Year pick, he’s well in line to pick up that award for this upcoming season.
As with last season, it will be a fight to retain the title. Expect players such Faizon Fields of Milwaukee and Youngstown State big man Gabe Dynes, among others, to make an argument for the claim. In the end, though, I expect Robinson to take the defensive crown once again.
Sixth Man of the Year – Corey Hadnot II, Purdue Fort Wayne
After sensational opening campaign that saw him on the All-Freshman teams and competing with the likes of Marcus Hall and David Douglas, Jr. for Freshman of the Year accolades, conventional wisdom would tell you that Hadnot would be well-primed to make a move to the starting spot in the Mastodons lineup.
Given how Purdue Fort Wayne’s starting backcourt is situated (read: one of the best in the conference and maybe even in all of mid-major basketball), it’s nearly a given that Hadnot will be the first man of the bench for Coffman. In this case, however, that’s certainly not a bad thing, and Hadnot has an opportunity to expound on his first-year success.
That should be relatively easy for the Atlanta native, and he’s almost assured to average more than the 17.7 minutes per game and, in turn, provide a chance to boost his scoring average to double digits. Most of all, he’s well-positioned to provide the Mastodons with some much-needed continuity when any of their starters need a break.
