Mount Vernon Nazarene College honored both its men's and women's basketball teams at the Winter Sports Banquet on Monday evening.
The men's basketball team, which posted a school-record 27-7 mark, won its first-ever Mid-Ohio Conference title, and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NAIA Division II national tournament, named junior forward Brad Hostasa as the team's Most Valuable Player and freshman guard Matt Keller as the Cougar Award recipient.
The women's basketball team, which posted a 19-18 overall mark and finished fourth at the National Christian College Athletic Association national tournament, selected sophomore guard Anne Nussbaum as the team's MVP and named senior forward Beth Poland as the Cougar Award recipient.
Cougar Sports Associates also honored Keller as the Freshman of the Year for the winter sports. Keller was one of the first players off the bench for the Cougars, and his contributions both on and off the court represented MVNC well. CSA also honored Bill Thorne, the first CSA president, by presenting him with the Cougar Appreciation Award in recognition of all the support that he has given to MVNC athletics.
Men's basketball head coach Scott Flemming was also presented with two awards for being named the NAIA Division II National Coach of the Year. He received a plaque from the NAIA and a marble clock from the college.