Jordan Howard Wins Consecutive Student-Athlete of the Year Awards
Southland Conference
FRISCO, Texas – Central Arkansas’ Jordan Howard is the 2017-18 Southland Conference Men’s Basketball Student-Athlete of the Year, the league announced Wednesday along with its all-academic teams. All yearly awards are presented by
Ready Nutrition.
Howard, a consecutive winner of the top Southland academic accolade, earns the award following a career year that saw him also claim the 2017-18 Southland Player of the Year honor. He becomes just the third player in Southland men’s basketball history to win Freshman of the Year and later be named Player of the Year. In his senior season, the Chandler, Ariz., native led the nation in total points (880), was third in points per game (25.1), second in field goals made, ninth in free throws made, 12th in three pointers made, 16th in in three pointers made per game and 21st in free throw percentage.
He also etched his name in Southland history by setting the conference record for career three point baskets made (386) and career free throw percentage mark (.868). Howard produced a 3.71 GPA while completing his bachelor’s degree this past December in digital filmmaking. The three-time Southland All-Academic member also received his second CoSIDA All-America selection, being named to the second team earlier this month. He is the only automatic selection to the Southland All-Academic Team.
The Bears are one of two teams to garner two picks to the all-academic teams with Mathieu Kamba being named a second team selection. Abilene Christian is the other with two-time selection Jaren Lewis and second team member Hayden Howell.
Along with Lewis, UIW’s Sam Burmeister was named to his second Southland All-Academic team, earning a spot on the second team.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi junior Kareem South was the top vote-getter to earn a spot on the all-academic first team. Stephen F. Austin sophomore Kevon Harris and Southeastern Louisiana senior Eddy Polanco round out the top squad.
Houston Baptist junior Braxton Bonds and Nicholls’ senior Lafayette Rutledge were voted onto the second team.
The Southland Conference awards committee, which consists of one administrator from each of the 13 member universities, voted for the student-athlete of the year. The Southland student-athlete of the year award is presented to the one student-athlete who achieves excellence in both academics and athletics. All nominees shall have earned at least a 3.2 GPA on a 4.0 scale, and demonstrated athletics achievement for at least two years at the nominating institution.
The all-academic teams are voted on by the head coaches, sports information directors and academic advisors from each Southland Conference university. Student-athletes must possess a 3.0 cumulative GPA, have completed one full academic year at the nominating institution and participated in at least 50 percent of the team’s competition to qualify for the all-academic squad.
CoSIDA Academic All-District/All-American selections and First Team All-Conference athletes who meet all-academic nomination criteria are automatically named First Team All-Academic.
2017-18 Southland Conference Men’s Basketball All-Academic Teams
| First Team |
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| Name |
University |
Class |
Hometown |
GPA |
Major |
| Jordan Howard^1,3,#,% |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Chandler, Ariz. |
3.71 |
Digital Filmmaking |
| Kareem South |
A&M-Corpus Christi |
Jr. |
Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
3.53 |
Biomedical Science |
| Kevon Harris |
Stephen F. Austin |
So. |
Ellenwood, Ga. |
3.18 |
Sports Business |
| Eddy Polanco |
Southeastern La. |
Sr. |
Bronx, N.Y. |
3.62 |
International Business |
| Jaren Lewis2 |
Abilene Christian |
Jr. |
Orlando, Fla. |
3.29 |
Business Management |
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Second Team
Name |
University |
Class |
Hometown |
GPA |
Major |
| Sam Burmeister2 |
UIW |
Gr. |
San Antonio, Texas |
3.97 |
Business Administration |
| Braxton Bonds |
Houston Baptist |
Jr. |
Nashville, Tenn. |
3.52 |
Interdisciplinary Studies |
| Mathieu Kamba |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
3.14 |
Finance |
| Hayden Howell |
Abilene Christian |
Jr. |
Midwest City, Okla. |
3.87 |
Composite Interdisciplinary |
| Lafayette Rutledge |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
Gautier, Miss. |
3.38 |
Interdisciplinary Studies |
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^2017-18 Southland Men’s Basketball Student-Athlete of the Year
1All-Conference First Team selection
2Two-time all-academic selection
3Three-time all-academic selection
#CoSIDA Academic All-District
%CoSIDA Academic All-America