EDINBORO, Pa. (Mar. 21) – Alaska Anchorage junior Sekou 'Suki' Wiggs earned one of the nation's highest honors Monday, being selected to the D2CCA NCAA Div. II All-America Third Team in voting by the nation's sports information directors.
A transfer from the University of Idaho, the 6-4 guard was already a unanimous All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference First Team selection and the GNAC Newcomer of the Year after leading the league and ranking 11th nationally with 24.1 points per game. Wiggs also posted league ranks of third in rebounding (7.3 rpg), ninth in assists (3.3 apg), third in steals (1.6 spg), first in defensive rebounding (6.2 drpg) and first in minutes (34.9 mpg).
"This is a well-earned honor for Suki and our program," said UAA head coach Rusty Osborne. "He has worked hard and put in many hours to improve his skills and help us be successful. To be chosen as one of only two juniors on the three teams is a reflection of the outstanding season he had. I'm sure this will motivate him to even greater heights next year."
The Seattle (O'Dea HS) native started the season with a UAA- and GNAC-record streak of 21 straight 20-plus scoring efforts – the longest streak in NCAA Div. II in the least four seasons – and finished the season with nine such efforts in a row.
After scoring 85 points in the last three games, he rose to No. 2 on UAA's single-season scoring list with 770 points, while crushing the previous school record for free throws with 243. Wiggs scored at least 30 points on six occasions and posted eight double-doubles, while also leading the Seawolves with 21 blocks.
Wiggs – who broke Glenn Robinson's 23-year-old GCI Great Alaska Shootout scoring record with a 98-point explosion against three D-I opponents in November – becomes the 11th Seawolf in 39 years to earn 1st-, 2nd- or 3rd-team All-America honors, and the first since Taylor Rohde in 2011-12.
UAA finished 21-11 overall this season and tied for third place in the GNAC with a 14-6 mark.
2015-16 D2CCA Men's Basketball All-America Teams
First Team
Name, School, Ht/Wt, Year, Position, Hometown
Ryan Stephan*, Colorado Mesa, C, 6‐10/250, Sr., Lakewood, Colo.
Seger Bonifant, West Liberty, G/F, 6‐7/200, Sr., Berlin, Ohio
Taevaunn Prince, Missouri Southern St., G. 6‐3/215, Sr.. Toronto, Canada
Daniel Jansen, Augustana, F, 6‐9/240, Sr., Orange City, Iowa
Devin Schmidt, Delta State, G, 6‐4/210, Jr., Sevierville, Tenn.
*Ron Lenz National Player of the Year
Second Team
Yunio Barrueta, Barry, G/F, 6‐5/220, Sr.,Miami, Fla.
Keenan Palmore, Lenoir‐Rhyne, G, 6‐2/180, Sr., Stone Mountain, Ga.
Kyle Cooper, Hillsdale, F, 6‐7/225. Sr.. Northville, Mich.
Desmond Williams, Southern Conn. St.. G. 6‐5. Sr., Torrington, Conn.
Tyree Gaiter, Notre Dame College, G, 5‐7/155, Sr., Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Third Team
Conner Beranek, Nebraska Kearney, F, 6‐6/190, Sr., Ravenna, Neb.
Andy Avgi, Western Oregon, F, 6‐6/260, Sr., Woodburn, Ore.
Gerel Simmons, Lincoln Memorial, G, 6‐2/195, Sr., Accokeek, Md.
Casey Schilling, Augustana, F, 6‐6, 215, Sr., Ellsworth, Minn.
Sekou "Suki" Wiggs, Alaska Anchorage, G, 6‐4/190, Jr., Seattle, Wash.
HONORABLE MENTION: Justin Pitts, Northern Missouri State; Michael Smith, California Baptist; John Moon, Oklahoma Christian; Terrell Harris, Georgia College; Eric Siefert, Wheeling Jesuit
---GOSEAWOLVES---
Nate Sagan
Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations
University of Alaska Anchorage
3211 Providence Dr.
Anchorage, AK 99508
(907) 786-1295 / nate@uaa.alaska.edu
GoSeawolves.com
