Amsbaugh named MVP to lead men’s basketball all-IIAC selections
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- Sam Amsbaugh earned co-Most Valuable Player honors to highlight Simpson's three selections to the 2017 All-Iowa Conference Men's Basektball Team, as voted on by the league's nine head coaches.
Amsbaugh becomes just the third Iowa Conference MVP in school history and the first since Adam Doll in 1998. He is joined on the All-IIAC Team by first team pick Conor Riordan and honorable mention selection, Tyler Stumbo.
Amsbaugh shared MVP honors with Ryan Garver of Nebraska Wesleyan and Josh Ruggles of Loras. Garver was named the league's Defensive Player of the Year and Nebraska Wesleyan's Dale Wellman earned Coach of the Year honors.
2017-18 All-Iowa Conference Men's Basketball Team
Sam Amsbaugh — co-MVP, First Team
The 6-foot-5 senior forward from Sheffield, Iowa capped off a memorable career in 2017-18 by becoming Simpson's first conference MVP in two decades and just the fourth player in school history to earn First Team All-IIAC honors three times. He averaged 19.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game, putting him third in the league in scoring, second in rebounding and fifth in assists. He was one of just two players in the conference to factor in the top five of all three categories. He accumulated six double-doubles throughout the season and reached double figures in scoring in 24 of 25 games. He scored a season-high 33 points and grabbed nine rebounds in a Senior Day win over Coe, tying a school record by going 11-for-11 from the free throw line.
Amsbaugh in the Record Books
Career points — 8th, 1,489
Career rebounds — 8th, 580
Career free throws made — 4th, 404
Career 30-point games — 1st, 7
Conor Riordan — First Team
The 6-foot tall point guard from Ankeny, Iowa enjoyed a breakout season as a sophomore, averaging 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. He logged nearly 35 minutes per game -- tops in the IIAC -- and boasted a 2.86 assist-to-turnover ratio, 24th-best in all of Division III. He scored in double figures in all but two games and committed more than two turnovers in a game just once all season. He put on a show for the home crowd with a season-high 39 points in a 96-85 win over Central on Feb. 7, going 14-for-17 from the field.
Tyler Stumbo — Honorable Mention
A 6-foot-4 junior forward from Milford, Iowa, Stumbo averaged 10.2 points and 4.0 rebounds in his first season with the Storm after transferring from Dordt. He finished third on the team in scoring and led the team by shooting 86.9 percent from the free throw line. Stubmo enjoyed a career game with 33 points on 10-for-17 shooting in a loss at Nebraska Wesleyan on Dec. 2.
