SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - For the second season in a row,
Frankie Fidler was voted Preseason All-Summit League First Team. As for the Mavericks as a whole, the team was ranked seventh in the Summit League Preseason Poll.
The preseason poll and awards were tallied in a vote of the league's head coaches, sports information staff, and media.
South Dakota State, Oral Roberts, and North Dakota State topped the poll and were the only teams to receive first place votes, while St. Thomas, North Dakota, and South Dakota slot in at four, five, and six ahead of Omaha and Kansas City and Denver bring up the rear of the conference.
Omaha finished its 2022-23 campaign at 9-23 with a 4-14 conference record. Entering the Summit League Tournament as the No. 10 seed, the Mavericks pulled off a first-round upset over Kansas City at 73-61, and nearly did it again the next day when they were just barely outscored by SDSU in the second round.
Fidler had his most impressive season yet in 2022-23, shooting .431 from the field and leading the team in nearly every category, including minutes played (1073), average minutes (33.5), field goals made (152), free throw percentage (.887), points (469) points per game (14.7), total rebounds (185), rebounds per game (5.8), and steals 39. He also recorded 25 double-digit scoring games, including eight with at least 20 points, and had five double-doubles. Fidler's best game last year came on February 2 vs. St. Thomas in which he made 12 field goals and put up a season-high 33 points.
For his efforts Fidler earned an All-Summit Honorable Mention.
The 2023-24 season tips-off at Baxter Arena on Monday, November 6 vs. Doane at 7:30 p.m.
2023-24 Preseason Summit League Player of the Year
Zeke Mayo, South Dakota State
Preseason All-Summit League First Team
Luke Appel, South Dakota State, RSr., F (11.1 ppg/4.2 rpg/1.4 apg)**
Parker Bjorklund, St. Thomas, Gr., F (15.9 ppg/5.4 rpg/0.6 bpg)#
Frankie Fidler, Omaha, Jr., F (16.8 ppg/5.8 rpg/2.9 apg)#
Zeke Mayo, South Dakota State, Jr., G (21.1 ppg/5.8 rpg/4.0 apg)#*
Issac McBride, Oral Roberts, Sr., G (12.6 ppg/2.8 rpg/2.3 apg)#
Boden Skunberg, North Dakota State, Sr., G (15.4 ppg/5.4 rpg/1.2 apg)#
Preseason All-Summit League Second Team
Tommy Bruner, Denver, Sr., G (16.2 ppg/3.1 rpg/3.8 apg)#
William Kyle III, South Dakota State, So., F (9.3 ppg/5.6 rpg/1.3 bpg)#
Andrew Morgan, North Dakota State, Jr., F (10.1 ppg/5.1 rpg/0.3 bpg)#
B.J. Omot, North Dakota, So., F (12.6 ppg/4.3 rpg/1.0 bpg)#
Kareem Thompson, Oral Roberts, Gr., G (8.1 ppg/6.1 rpg/1.7 spg)#
*Preseason Player of the Year automatically earns a spot on first team
#stats are from 2022-23 Summit League games
**stats are from 2021-22 Summit League games
Preseason Poll
|
Rank
|
School (1st Place Votes)
|
Points
|
|
1.
|
South Dakota State (27)
|
600
|
|
2.
|
Oral Roberts (7)
|
510
|
|
3.
|
North Dakota State (2)
|
482
|
|
4.
|
St. Thomas
|
386
|
|
5
|
North Dakota
|
374
|
|
6.
|
South Dakota
|
274
|
|
7.
|
Omaha
|
252
|
|
8.
|
Kansas City
|
201
|
|
9.
|
Denver
|
161
|
