April 6, 2006
University of Dayton sophomore guard Brian Roberts was named the winner of the White-Allen Most Valuable Player Award Thursday evening at UD's men's basketball banquet held at the Dayton Convention Center.
Roberts, a 2004 graduate of Toledo St. John's High School, was named Second Team All-Atlantic 10 in his first season as a starter for UD. He led UD in scoring (16.0), minutes (33.4), and three-pointers made (68). He was seventh in the A-10 in scoring, and is the only player in the A-10 among the conference's top ten in scoring who is also in the conference's top dozen players in assists, three-pointers, FG%, and 3-pt. FG%.
Roberts was also named First Team A-10 Academic All-Conference. During the season, he was named to the All-Tournament Team of the Las Vegas Holiday Classic after leading UD in scoring (18.3) and assists (5.3) in the four-game event.
The White-Allen Most Valuable Player Trophy is sponsored by Tim White and White-Allen Auto Group, Inc. The award is selected by members of the team. The White-Allen Trophy has been awarded annually since 1953. White-Allen now sponsors the MVP award for UD's men's and women's basketball, football and volleyball teams.
Sophomore forward Norman Plummer earned two awards. As Dayton's top rebounder, the Fairfield, Ohio native took home the "Shorty" Sharpenter Memorial Rebounding Trophy. Plummer averaged 6.5 rebounds a game. He was also named the winner of the Dr. George Rau Spirit Award, which is given annually to the player who displays true team spirit, on and off the court. On the year, Plummer was the Flyer's third-leading scorer (10.0). He joined Roberts on the Las Vegas Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team, tallying double-doubles in three of the four games.
The Sharpenter Award is named for Hall of Famer Ned "Shorty" Sharpenter, and has been sponsored by his family since its inception in 1979. The Harry O'Rourke Insurance Agency sponsors the Rau Award, which began following the long-time Flyer team physician's death in 1972. It is voted on by members of the team.
The only other Dayton player to average double figures, junior forward Monty Scott, earned the Alex Schoen Memorial Free Throw Trophy, after shooting .795 (35 of 44) from the line to lead the Flyers this season. Despite missing six games and being limited in practices and games for much more than that with a stress fracture in his left foot, Scott was UD's second-leading scorer (11.2) and rebounder (4.3) in 2005-06.
The Schoen Trophy is named in honor of Alex Schoen, Sr., the captain of UD's first varsity basketball team in 1903-04. Awarded since 1950, it is sponsored by Alex Schoen, Jr. It goes to the UD player with the highest FT% with a minimum of 1.5 free throws per game attempted.
Senior Marketing major Jeff Penno was named the winner of the John L. Macbeth Memorial Scholarship Award. Penno played in 14 games in his final season for the Red & Blue.
The Macbeth Scholar-Athlete Award is presented in memory of Dayton businessman John L. Macbeth, and is sponsored by Mrs. John L. Macbeth and family. It goes to the member of the team with the highest cumulative grade point average after a minimum of five semesters of class work. It has been awarded since 1959.
Sophomore forward/guard Jimmy Binnie was named the winner of the next year's Uhl Family Endowed Scholarship. Former Flyers Bill Uhl, Sr. and Bill Uhl, Jr., have endowed a men's basketball scholarship, to be given to a returning Flyer basketball player. Originally awarded in 2003, it was the first endowed award of this type in the University of Dayton Athletics Division. It is given annually to the UD player who best exemplifies the qualities of good sportsmanship and character, and follows the University's motto of "Learn, Lead and Serve" on and off the court. Previous recipients have been Keith Waleskowski, Mark Jones and Warren Williams.
Binnie played in 27 games last season, and was fifth in scoring (4.6), fourth in rebounding (3.2) and third in steals (21) for UD.
Senior Logan White was named the winner of the Best Defender Award. After playing in just six games and a total of 18 minutes a year ago, White saw action in 28 games (with nine starts) and logged 432 minutes in 2005-06. He actually had ten games where he played more than the 18 minutes he played all season in 2004-05. While his offensive numbers in 2005-06 eclipsed what he had done in his first three years combined, it was on the defensive end where he earned his playing time. He was often given the assignment of taking on the opposition's top backcourt scorer. First presented in 1994-95, the Best Defender Award is determined by the coaching staff.
Freshman forward Charles Little was the second double winner of the evening. He was named the recipient of the Chris Daniels Memorial Most Improved Player Award and the winner of the Thomas M. Luppe Award, which is presented each year to the first-year player on the team who best demonstrates the courage, desire and integrity of former Flyer freshman Tom Luppe. Little began the year with a hamstring injury, but once it healed he showed why he was one of the 2005 finalists for Mr. Basketball in the state of Tennessee. After averaging just 7.9 minutes, 2.7 points and 1.7 rebounds a game in non-conference action, Little has all but doubled his production in league play, picking it up to the tune of 18.1 minutes, 6.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in A-10 action. He made his first start at A-10 regular season champion George Washington, and scored a career-high 13 points to lead UD. He had 12 points (5-6 FG) in the win over eventual tournament champ Xavier.
UD's Chris Daniels Memorial Award is sponsored by Skelton Sports, and is presented in memory of Flyer center Chris Daniels. Originated in 1994-95, this award was renamed for Chris Daniels following his death in 1996. It is chosen by the coaches. The Luppe Award honors Thomas M. Luppe, who died in 1963 while playing in a UD freshman game.
Dayton returns four starters and its top three scorers (Roberts, Scott and Plummer) next season. UD was 14-17 in 2005-06, with five of the wins and 11 of the losses coming against post-season teams.
