Falkenberg, a 5-foot-11 senior guard from Wadsworth, Ohio, leads the Cougars in scoring (18.6 points per game), assists (121), and three-pointers made (97). The former Wadsworth High School star is shooting 48.1 percent from the field (167-for-347), 45.1 percent from three-point range (97-for-215), and 90.8 percent from the free throw line (109-for-120). He ranks first in NAIA Division II in free throw percentage, ninth in three-pointers made per game (3.3), and 13th in three-point field goal percentage. He became the program’s all-time scoring leader earlier this year and ranks 10th in Ohio college basketball history with 2,537 points. He is also closing in on the school’s career three-point record of 465 treys set by Phil Argento, which is also the state mark. Falkenberg currently ranks second on the list with 451 three-pointers made.

In the classroom, Falkenberg has posted a 3.83 grade point average as a Biology major and has been named to the MVNU Dean’s List every semester. He is the only NAIA player to be chosen to one of the three Academic All-America Teams as the College Division is made up of NCAA Division II and III and NAIA players.

Among his many honors, Falkenberg is a two-time NAIA Division II First Team All-American and a two-time National Christian College Athletic Association First Team All-American. He was the AMC South Division Newcomer of the Year as a freshman and the AMC South Division Player of the Year as a sophomore. Following his junior year, he received the NAIA’s prestigious Emil S. Liston Award as the top male junior men’s basketball player on the court and in the classroom.

The ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® Teams are selected by CoSIDA members. Eligible student-athletes are nominated by their school’s sports information director and must have at least a 3.30 grade point average and be at least in their sophomore year. Each of the eight CoSIDA districts selects an Academic All-District First Team, which is then forwarded on for consideration at the national level.

Falkenberg is the first MVNU athlete in any sport to be a three-time Academic All-America pick and the first MVNU men’s basketball player to be named to the Academic All-America First Team. He joins former standouts Tom Clark (Second Team in 1986 and 1987), Alan Bock (Third Team in 2005 and 2006), and Doug Speelman (Third Team in 1996) as the only other MVNU men’s basketball players to be honored.

MVNU is currently 22-7 overall and ranked No. 12 in the most recent NAIA Division II poll. The Cougars, who are the No. 2 seed in the American Mideast Conference Tournament, will host No. 3 seed University of Northwestern Ohio (18-13) in the semifinals of the AMC Tournament on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The winner will advance to the AMC Tournament championship game on Tuesday against either No. 1 seed Walsh University (25-3) or No. 5 seed Notre Dame College (19-11) with an automatic berth into the NAIA Division II national tournament on the line.