Upper Iowa men's basketball's
Jake Hilmer was listed as a finalist in the Trevor Hudgins Award and the Bevo Francis Award, advancing from the previous group of 25 (Bevo Francis) and 15 (Trevor Hudgins). Both awards are presented by Small College Basketball.
The Clarence "Bevo" Francis Award is presented annually to the player who has had the finest overall season within Small College Basketball. Considerations will be season statistics and individual achievements, awards, personal character and team achievements. This is an incredibly prestigious award, as this award will only be given to one player within Small College Basketball per season. The finalist will be named on April 8.
The Trevor Hudgins Award will be presented annually to the senior who has had the finest overall four-year career within Small College Basketball. Considerations will be overall career statistics and achievements, team achievements, awards, and personal character. The player must have played his entire career at the small college level. This will be the highest award given to a four-year player within Small College Basketball. The finalist will be named on April 8.
Arguably one of the best Small College Basketball players ever, Trevor Hudgins led the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats to three consecutive NCAA Division II National Championships. This marked the first time in DII history that a team has won three straight National Championships. During his career, Hudgins started in every game and never missed one. He also never lost an NCAA Tournament game, leading the Bearcats to a remarkable 17-0 record in the NCAA Division II National Tournament. During his career, Hudgins led the Bearcats to four straight MIAA regular season championships and finished his career with an astounding record of 131-8.
The overall intent of the Trevor Hudgins Award is two-fold. One to keep the collegiate legacy of Trevor Hudgins alive and continue to tell his story to the next generation. Secondly, to provide a national platform to honor outstanding players – and ultimately one player – within small college basketball on an annual basis.
See the links attached with this story for the videos presenting both awards and the finalists for each.
