By CHUCKIE MAGGIO
Mark Schmidt is never one to demand a lion’s share of the credit and Wednesday was no different, even when he was announced the Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year.
“There’s not many coaches of the year that are on losing teams,” Schmidt said. “I’m not sure if there’s any.”
The Bonnies didn’t lose much on the way to their first outright regular season title, leading to one of their most decorated awards announcements. In addition to Schmidt’s honor, Osun Osunniyi won Defensive Player of the Year while Kyle Lofton (First Team), Jaren Holmes and Osunniyi (Second Team) were each selected for all-conference. Osunniyi, of course, made the All-Defensive Team, while Holmes is an All-Academic member for the second straight season.
Schmidt joined Jim Baron, John Calipari, John Chaney, Jim Crews, Fran Dunphy, Phil Martelli and Mike Rice Sr. in winning the award multiple times.
“Believe me, it’s not my award- it’s our program’s award,” Schmidt said. “My assistant coaches do an unbelievable job, the players. It’s special for our program, and I’m humbled to be selected by my peers to be the Coach of the Year, but there’s a lot of people that are involved. It’s just not a one-man show, as everyone knows.
“My assistants are just as important as I am, and without the players, we wouldn’t be in this situation… I accept it for everybody.”
Osunniyi is the first Defensive Player of the Year in Bona history and a three-time All-Defensive Team honoree after leading the league in blocks per game (2.8) and finishing second in rebounding (9.3 boards per game).
“I’m not really big on personal accolades, never have been,” Osunniyi remarked before the award was announced on Wednesday. “But it’s a blessing and an honor if I get chosen Defensive Player of the Year. That’s how I’ve been playing basketball, just playing defense. Offense has always been second. The main thing I’ve been working on, the main thing I’ve always had is defense.”
Lofton has now finished the season with an A-10 First Team nod the last two seasons despite being voted Second Team in preseason. The junior led the team in scoring, led the team and conference in minutes per game and placed third in the league in assists per game.
Osunniyi was an A-10 Third Team player a season ago, while this is Holmes’s first all-league selection.
The ultimate focus, Osunniyi said, is on the team’s goals: “Winning the A-10 championship Sunday and hopefully going to the tournament, the big dance in Indianapolis, winning a few games.”
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