Damien Madison, Dylan Bohling Earn USA South Honors

USA South 2021-22 Men's Basketball Awards Announced

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The USA South Athletic Conference has announced its 2021-22 All-Conference awards for men's basketball. Individually, N.C. Wesleyan's Damon McDowell was named Player of the Year, Mary Baldwin's Vernon Fraley earned Rookie of the Year, Maryville's Myles Rasnick collected Defensive Player of the Year, and Averett's David Doino grabbed Coach of the Year honors. Additionally, the USA South recognized an All-Sportsmanship Team, consisting of one member from each competing school who their coach felt displayed the best sportsmanship this season.

All awards are voted on by the men's basketball coach at each institution. The divisional team voting is completed only by those coaches in the particular division. The all-conference and individual award voting is completed by all coaches.

McDowell, a graduate-student guard from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, becomes just the fourth N.C. Wesleyan men's basketball student-athlete to be named USA South Player of the Year. McDowell currently leads the Conference in scoring, averaging 23.7 points per game, which ranks eighth nationally. He also has made the most field goals (210) and three-pointers (83) this season within the Conference in addition to averaging 4.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists per contest. In Conference games-only, McDowell's scoring average rose to a League-best 26.8 points per game to go along with 1.9 assists per contest. McDowell finds himself on the All-Conference team for the third consecutive season, this time as a First Team All-Conference and First Team All-East Division member. Finally, he earned USA South Player of the Week honors once this winter.

Fraley, a Raleigh, North Carolina freshman forward, becomes the first Fighting Squirrel to earn an individual "of the Year" honor as the program concluded its first year of men's basketball as a varsity sport. Fraley averaged 13.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 1.6 assists per game. In League contests, Fraley's scoring average stayed the same (13.2 points) while his total rebounds (95), steals (24) and blocks (11) all ranked in the top-ten of USA South performers. For his efforts this season, Fraley earns Second Team All-East Division Honors while also being named USA South Rookie of the Year twice.

Rasnick, a  junior guard from Knoxville, Tennessee, collects the Conference's inaugural Defensive Player of the Year award in the sport of men's basketball. Rasnick currently ranks second in the USA South with 53 steals and tied for fourth with 23 blocks. Against USA South opposition, Rasnick totaled 15 blocks, good for third, and 28 steals, which ranked fourth in the League. He is the only player in the League to rank in the top-four of each of those two categories for both overall contests and USA South-only games. For his overall performance on the court this year, which includes averaging 15.2 points per game, Rasnick was named First Team All-Conference and First Team All-West Division. Finally, he collected USA South Player of the Week honors once this season.

Doino, in his eighth year as Averett's head coach, earns his third USA South Coach of the Year honor. His Cougars, picked by the coaches in the preseason to place fourth in the division, captured the East Division title for the second time in three seasons. It is the fourth time Averett has earned a regular season championship under the leadership of Doino. The Cougars concluded Conference play with an 11-3 record to go along with a current 15-11 overall mark. Next up for the Cougars is the USA South Tournament semifinals, thanks to a recent first round win as the top-seeded team from the East Division.

The 2021-22 USA South Men's Basketball All-Conference Team: