Pete Nevins honors/recognition  l  Morning Call: Tobin honored

EAST STROUDSBURG – East Stroudsburg University junior guard Matt Tobin has been named the Lehigh Valley Small College Basketball Organization's Pete Nevins Player of the Year for his performance for the Warriors' men's basketball team, it was announced Thursday at a media luncheon in Bethlehem.

Tobin (Hopatcong, N.J./Hopatcong) is the third Warrior to be selected, joining teammate Whis Grant, who was honored last year, and Rich Baker, who was recognized in 2003-04.

Junior forward Jessica Martin (Brownstown/Conestoga Valley) was ESU's selection for the women's player of the year award for the second straight year. The women's Pete Nevins Player of the Year was DeSales senior guard Sondrine Glovas.

The Player of the Year award was renamed in honor of Pete Nevins, ESU's sports information director from 1969-2002 and the founder of the small college basketball organization, following his passing in 2007.

There were 12 players selected on the organization's "Team of the Year", which recognizes a men's and women's player from each of the six area schools.

Joining Tobin on the men's team were Delaware Valley's Francis Arnold, DeSales' Mike Coleman, Kutztown's Tracy Peal, Moravian's Izel Dickerson and Muhlenberg's Kevin Hargrove.

Martin and Glovas were joined on the women's team by Cedar Crest's Amber Wehry, Delaware Valley's Brenna Coll, Kutztown's Advia Campbell, Moravian's Katie O'Rourke and Muhlenberg's Leanna Tallamy.

Tobin leads the PSAC in assists per game (6.0), assist-to-turnover ratio (2.8) and steals per game (2.3) as the leader of the Warriors (23-1, 13-1), who have secured their second straight PSAC East regular season title and are ranked No. 5 in this week's NABC Division II poll.

Tobin has helped the Warriors lead the PSAC in six categories, including scoring (87.2 ppg), scoring margin, assists, assist-to-turnover ratio, turnover margin and steals. ESU ranks No. 1 nationally in turnover margin (+7.9) in this week's DII statistical report.

He is ESU's fourth-leading scorer with 9.7 points per game, shooting 49.1 percent from the field and 36.2 percent (21-for-58) from the three-point line.

He has produced several big offensive games, including 18 points, 9 assists and 5 steals in ESU's 93-77 win over Bloomsburg last Saturday which gave the Warriors the PSAC East regular season title.

He has three games with 10+ assists this year, including a PSAC season-high 13 in an 81-68 win at Pitt-Johnstown on January 8. He has two double-doubles, with 11 points and 11 assists vs. Shippensburg on January 11, and 16 points and 10 assists in a comeback 107-94 win at West Chester on January 25.

Martin leads the Warriors (13-11, 8-6) in scoring (12.6 ppg) and rebounding (8.6 rpg) for the second straight season, and leads the PSAC and ranks sixth in Division II with 2.9 blocked shots per game.

She recently moved into the top 10 in PSAC history in career blocked shots during her junior season, currently ranking 10th with 203, which is also fourth-best among active DII players.

A two-time PSAC East second team selection and the 2012 Freshman of the Year, Martin has helped the Warriors reach the PSAC Tournament for the second straight season.

She anchors a defense that leads the PSAC in field goal percentage defense (37.5) and blocks (5.0 per game), while also ranking third in scoring defense (62.3 ppg) and steals (10.6 per game). ESU is 8-1 when holding opponents under 60 points.

ESU's men have secured the PSAC East's No. 1 seed and will host a quarterfinal game on Tuesday, March 4 at Koehler Fieldhouse. The top remaining team in the PSAC East after the quarterfinals will host the PSAC Final Four on March 8-9 (Saturday-Sunday).

The women are tied for fourth in the PSAC East with Millersville entering the final two games of the regular season. The No. 4 seed will host the No. 5 seed on Saturday, March 1 in a first-round playoff game.

ESU has two regular season games remaining, Saturday at Cheyney and Wednesday, February 26 at home vs. West Chester.


Previous Player of the Year recipients

Men
1997-98 – Brett Eppehimer (Lehigh)
1998-99 – Brian Ehlers (Lafayette)
1999-00 – Mark Watermasysk (DeSales)
2000-01 – Mark Lesko (Muhlenberg)
2001-02 – Mark Lesko (Muhlenberg)
2002-03 – Brandon Zaleski (Moravian)
2003-04 – Rich Baker (East Stroudsburg)
2004-05 – Jeff Stewart (Muhlenberg)
2005-06 – Bruce Hall (Kutztown)
2006-07 – Dave Ben (Kutztown)
2007-08 – Dave Ben (Kutztown)
2008-09 – Dave Ben (Kutztown)
2009-10 – Stephen Dennis (Kutztown)
2010-11 – Brian Hunter (DeSales)
2011-12 – Spencer Liddic (Muhlenberg)
2012-13 – Whis Grant (East Stroudsburg)
2013-14 – Matt Tobin (East Stroudsburg)

Women
1997-98 – Amy Wahl (Kutztown)
1998-99 – Amy Wahl (Kutztown)
1999-00 – Kate Corcoran (DeSales)
2000-01 – Alisa DiBonaventura (Delaware Valley)
2001-02 – Susan Marchiano (Muhlenberg)
2002-03 – Teri Antolick (DeSales)
2003-04 – Alyssa Antolick (DeSales)
2004-05 – Alyssa Antolick (DeSales)
2005-06 – Kelly Applegate (Moravian)
2006-07 – Alyssa Antolick (East Stroudsburg)
2007-08 – LeighAnn Burke (DeSales)
2008-09 – LeighAnn Burke (DeSales)
2009-10 – Kelly McKeon (Muhlenberg) and Kate Harrison (Moravian)
2010-11 – Melissa McQuade (Kutztown)
2011-12 – Alexandra Chili (Muhlenberg)
2012-13 – Alexis Wright (Moravian)
2013-14 – Sondrine Glovas (DeSales)