MAC Announces 2005 All-Freshman Team and Three Specialty Awards

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March 7, 2005

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CLEVELAND -- Three specialty awards and the all-MAC Freshman team were announced today as the first of the league's post-season honors signals the tip-off of this week's conference festivities that conclude Saturday night with the conference's championship game at Gund Arena.

The five freshmen who comprise the team, as voted by league head coaches, are Bubba Walther from Akron, teammates Leon Williams and Jeremy Fears of Ohio, Kashif Payne of Toledo and Joe Reitz from Western Michigan.

MAC Defensive Player of the Year is senior Chet Mason of Miami, Freshman of the Year is Leon Williams of Ohio and the Sixth Man of the Year is senior Mark Bortz of Buffalo. The Defensive Player of the Year and Sixth Man awards were voted by league head coaches, while the Freshman of the Year was selected by the MAC News Media Association.

Mason, a 6-foot, 4-inch guard from Cleveland (South HS) helped the RedHawks to their first MAC Championship since the 1999 season and the 21st in school history, the most by any MAC school. Mason led the RedHawks defense with 35 steals and was the key to the team's MAC best of allowing just 61.1 points per game. He also averaged 13.0 ppg, 7.7 rebounds per game and 35.3 minutes per game and started all 27 games for the 18-9 RedHawks. Mason joins Rob Mestas (2000) as Miami players to win the award.

Bortz, a senior from Commerce Township, Mich. (Walled Lake Central HS) keyed Buffalo's Division I school record 19 wins as he came off the bench in all 27 games to average 10.6 points and 5.8 rebounds each contest. Bortz contributed 24.3 minutes each game for the 19-8 Bulls and led the team with 32 blocked shots, while being credited with 24 steals. Bortz becomes the first UB student-athlete to win a major award for the men's basketball program since the Bulls began competing in the MAC during the 1998-99 season.

Williams, a graduate of Cardinal Gibbons High School in Baltimore, Md, helped the Bobcats increase their win total by seven (from 10 to 17) from last year with averages of 11.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. Williams, a 6-foot, 7-inch forward, started all 27 games and added 32 steals and 13 blocked shots. He shot 63.8 percent (118-165) from the field and led all league freshman in rebounding, ranking third in the MAC overall.

Joining Williams on the all-Freshman Team is teammate Jeremy Fears, Bubba Walther from Akron and Kashif Payne of Toledo - all guards - and forward/center Joe Reitz of Western Michigan.

Fears played in all 27 games for the Bobcats and worked his way into the starting role on 21 occasions. His 10.9 ppg was fourth on the team and he added a team leading 103 assists, the most by a MAC freshman this season, and 48 steals.

Walther started 14 of 27 games for the 18-win Zips squad and finished third on the team with 8.6 ppg. He led the Zips with 50 three-point goals, also the highest total by a league frosh this year.

Payne helped the Rockets to a No. 2 seed in this week's MAC Tournament by appearing in all 28 games and providing a team high of 98 assists. He also averaged 3.9 ppg while finishing second in the MAC in assist-turnover ratio at 2.39 (98 assists-41 turnovers) and adding 33 steals.

Reitz stepped in at a key post position for the Broncos to start 28 of 29 games and help the team to a No. 3 tournament seeding and a division co-championship (with Toledo). Reitz provided 9.5 points and 5.1 rebounds each game and shot 55.4 percent (98-177) from the field

The 2005 MAC All-Freshman Team

Player	         School	Pos.	Ht.	Hometown/High School
Bubba Walther	Akron	G	6-4	Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller
Leon Williams	Ohio	F	6-7	Baltimore, Md./Cardinal Gibbons
Jeremy Fears	Ohio	G	6-3	Joliet, Ill./Joliet Township
Kashif Payne	Toledo	G	5-9	Philadelphia, Pa./Mt. Hermon School
Joe Reitz	WMU	F/C	6-7	Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern

2005 MAC Freshman of the Year - Leon Williams, Ohio (Baltimore,Md./Cardinal Gibbons HS)
2005 Defensive Player of the Year - Chet Mason, Miami (Cleveland, Ohio/South HS)
2005 Sixth Man Award - Mark Bortz, Buffalo (Commerce Township, Mich./Walled Lake HS)

The league's all-MAC team, Coach of the Year and Player of the Year will be announced Wednesday, March 9.

-MAC-