NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion men's basketball head coach Jeff Jones announced his team's award winners on Thursday night, as Jaylin Hunter (Trey Freeman Practice Player of the Year), Joe Reece (Cal Bowdler Most Improved Player), Jason Wade (Mark West Defensive Player of the Year) Malik Curry (MVP) and Aaron Carver/Loren Brill (Paul Webb Award) collected hardware on the night.
TREY FREEMAN PRACTICE PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD: JAYLIN HUNTER
Jaylin Hunter averaged ten minutes, 2.3 points and 1.0 rebound in 29 games played during his freshman campaign. He scored a career-high 11 points at LA Tech in February. His efforts on the practice court earned him the respect of his teammates and coaches.
Jeff Jones on Jaylin Hunter:
"Often times, the transition from high school to college can be challenging. Jaylin fought through that challenge and came to practice every day ready to give his best and push his teammates to be their best."
CAL BOWDLER MOST IMPROVED PLAYER AWARD: JOE REECE
After appearing in six games and averaging 0.3 points and 0.7 rebounds per contest in 2018-19, Joe Reece played in all 32 games, averaging 19 minutes, 6.2 points and 3.9 rebounds per game in 2019-20. He poured in a career-high 19 points against Rice.
Jeff Jones on Joe Reece:
"Joe took advantage of the opportunity that presented itself this past season and his hard-work paid off. His improvement was apparent and we look forward to more of the same this upcoming season."
MARK WEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD: JASON WADE
Despite his season ending after 20 games due to an injury, Jason Wade still led the Monarchs with 52 steals, which ultimately ranked 94th nationally and third within the conference (for the entire season). His six thefts at Northern Iowa were the second highest total by any C-USA player all year. Wade also averaged 11 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.
Jeff Jones on Jason Wade:
"Prior to his injury, Jason was playing at an all-league level and his defensive intensity was unmatched in Conference USA."
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: MALIK CURRY
Malik Curry started all 32 games this past season, leading the Monarchs with 13.4 points and 4.0 assists per outing. He ranked fourth in the conference in assist to turnover ratio and fifth in the league for total assists. His 21 double-digit scoring games were highlighted by a career-high 30-point explosion versus UTSA.
Jeff Jones on Malik Curry:
"Malik quickly established himself as a dynamic scorer and playmaker, creating opportunities for his teammates, as well as himself. The experience he gained will prime him for a great senior year."
PAUL WEBB AWARD: AARON CARVER/LOREN BRILL
The Paul Webb Award is given to the player(s), who best represents Old Dominion on and off the court.
Aaron Carver:
Aaron Carver garnered the Paul Webb Award for the second consecutive year. This past season, he was named to Conference USA All-Defensive Team and collected All-League Academic Team honors for the second straight year. Carver finished 17th in the country (1st in C-USA) for total rebounds (328) in 2019-20 and hauled down 698 rebounds for his career, which ranks 20th on ODU's all-time rebounding list.
Carver already earned his undergraduate degree in Engineering Technology with a minor in Engineering Management and has been working on his Masters in Engineering Management with a 3.7 GPA. Carver received the John R. Broderick and Kate Broderick Award last year, as well as interned at NASA last the summer.
Jeff Jones on Aaron Carver:
"Aaron excelled on the court and in the classroom and set an example every day for what a scholar-athlete should be. In my 37 years in coaching, I've never seen anyone more impressive."
Loren Brill:
Loren Brill graduated with an economics degree, while possessing a 3.8 grade-point-average. For his efforts, he was named to the NABC Honors Court and C-USA Honor Roll, while earning a Conference USA Commissioner's Academic Medal. As a member of SAAC, Brill could always be found supporting his fellow student-athletes by attending their games/matches. Last season, Brill was named Trey Freeman Practice Player of the Year Award winner.
Jeff Jones on Loren Brill:
"Loren Brill's work ethic, character, passion and thoughtfulness has made him a great teammate and an absolute joy to coach."
Men’s Basketball Announces 2019-20 Team Award Winners
