University of Saint Francis senior Austin Fox and Head Coach Chad LaCross earned the top two honors in Crossroads League voting by CL coaches for post-season awards on Sunday.
Fox (Muncie, IN / Central H.S.) was chosen CL Player of the Year for the CL champion, NAIA No. 3 Cougars.
LaCross is CL Coach of the Year after guiding the Cougars to their third conference title and first since 1999-00. LaCross directed the Cougars to a 16-2 CL record setting a USF record for conference wins.
Sophomore forward Bryce Lienhoop (Columbus, IN / East H.S.) was All-CL first team joining Fox. Junior guard Kegan Comer (Portland, IN / Jay County H.S.) was All-CL third-team and sophomore Evan Henry (Columbus, IN / North H.S.) was All-CL honorable mention.
Fox, a 6-foot-3 forward, was also named to the CL All-Defensive team for the second consecutive season. This is the third All-CL honor for Fox, his second on the first team.
Fox led the CL in rebounding averaging 11.3 per game, which ranks No. 2 in NAIA Division II. He led the CL in double-doubles (points/rebounds) with 17 including eight consecutive to finish the season. He had 28 points and 14 boards in the USF win (87-74) at No.4 Indiana Wesleyan University on Saturday clinching the CL regular-season championship. Fox finished sixth in CL-only scoring averaging 17.7 ppg, 14.7 ppg in all of USF’s games to lead the team in scoring average and points scored (440). Fox was All-CL second team in 2013-14 in his first season at USF after transferring from IU-South Bend.
LaCross, who is 143-59 (.708) overall in six seasons, earns his first CL COTY. USF’s 26-4 record is the second best regular-season record in the 52-year history of the men’s program topped only by the 1999-00 team that finished 28-4. This is LaCross’ first conference player of the year honor. He was WHAC Player of the Year in 2000-01 at then Tri-State University as a senior. LaCross, who is an East Noble H.S. graduate, is USF’s fourth conference coach of the year. Former USF Head Coach Jeff Rekeweg won the honor three times — 1998-99, 1999-00 and 2006-07.
Lienhoop, who was on the 2014-15 CL All-Newcomer Team, is USF’s No. 2 scorer averaging 14.5 points per game. He is No. 2 in CL field goal percentage at .586, 12th in NAIA DII FG shooting percentage.
Austin Fox in NAIA rankings after 2/20/16
No. 2 in Division II in Defensive Rebounds per Game (8.600)
No. 2 in Division II in Total Rebounds per Game (11.333)
No. 2 in Division II in Total Rebounds (340)
No. 36 in Division II in Offensive Rebounds per Game (2.733)
Bryce Lienhoop in NAIA Rankings after 2/20/16
No. 9 in Division II in Offensive Rebounds per Game (3.300)
No. 12 in Division II in Field Goal Pct (0.586)
No. 20 in Division II in Total Rebounds (247)
No. 37 in Division II in Total Rebounds per Game (8.233)
No. 37 in Division II in Total Blocks (39)
No. 45 in Division II in Blocks per Game (1.300)
USF Conference Players of the Year
1999-00 Steve Smith, Sr. Muncie, IN
2010-11 DeJovaun Sawyer-Davis, Sr. Anderson, IN
2015-16 Austin Fox, Sr. Muncie, IN
