Mocs Center Justin Tuoyo Named SoCon Defensive Player of the Year For Third Straight Season

(gomocs.com) CHATTANOOGA—The Southern Conference announced their 2017 men’s basketball postseason awards Wednesday morning. One very familiar name continued its perch atop the player of the year mention.

Mocs senior Justin Tuoyo is the SoCon Defensive Player of the Year for a third straight year according to the league’s coaches. Tuoyo, who led the conference in blocks while ranking sixth nationally at 2.9 per game, has been one of the all-time best at his craft.

Tuoyo set the school record in just 45 games after coming to Gig City as a sophomore transfer from VCU. His 268 career blocks is fourth-most in SoCon history, one behind George Singleton (1981-84) of Furman with 269.

He has 87 this year which is 17 behind his school-record 104 in 2014-15. Tuoyo has as many or more swats that 135 NCAA DI teams on the season. He’s the only player in league history to claim the award in multiple seasons and is the fourth Moc in a row following Z. Mason in 2014.

The league’s major awards went to Tuoyo, Niko Medved (Furman, Coach of the Year), Devin Sibley (Furman, Player of the Year) and Preston Parks (The Citadel, Freshman of the Year).

Tuoyo also had a place on the all-league squads along with teammate Tre’ McLean. The big man from Fayetteville, Ga., is first team All-SoCon per the coaches and second team via the media. McLean is third team by both parties.

2017 Men’s Basketball Awards – Coaches
All-Conference First Team
Justin Tuoyo, Chattanooga
T.J. Cromer, ETSU
Devin Sibley, Furman
Eric Garcia, Wofford
Fletcher Magee, Wofford

All-Conference Second Team
Kris Acox, Furman
Ria’n Holland, Mercer
Francis Alonso, UNCG
Diante Baldwin, UNCG
QJ Peterson, VMI

All-Conference Third Team
Tre’ McLean, Chattanooga
Desonta Bradford, ETSU
R.J. White, UNCG
Demetrius Denzel-Dyson, Samford
Wyatt Walker, Samford

All-Freshman Team
Preston Parks, The Citadel
Jordan Lyons, Furman
James Dickey, UNCG
Josh Sharkey, Samford
Nathan Hoover, Wofford

Player of the Year
Devin Sibley, Jr., G, Furman

Defensive Player of the Year
Justin Tuoyo, Sr., F, Chattanooga

Freshman of the Year
Preston Parks, G, The Citadel

Coach of the Year
Niko Medved, Furman

2017 Men’s Basketball Awards – Media
All-Conference First Team
T.J. Cromer, ETSU
Devin Sibley, Furman
QJ Peterson, VMI
Eric Garcia, Wofford
Fletcher Magee, Wofford

All-Conference Second Team
Justin Tuoyo, Chattanooga
Kris Acox, Furman
Ria’n Holland, Mercer
Francis Alonso, UNCG
Diante Baldwin, UNCG

All-Conference Third Team
Tre’ McLean, Chattanooga
Preston Parks, The Citadel
R.J. White, UNCG
Demetrius Denzel-Dyson, Samford
Wyatt Walker, Samford

All-Freshman Team
Preston Parks, The Citadel
Josh Sharkey, Samford
James Dickey, UNCG
Nathan Hoover, Wofford
Kaelon Harris, The Citadel
Triston Chambers, Samford
*due to a tie in the voting the All-Freshman team consists of six members

Malcolm U. Pitt Player of the Year
Devin Sibley, Jr., G, Furman

Freshman of the Year
Preston Parks, G, The Citadel

Anton Foy Coach of the Year
Niko Medved, Furman