WAYNE – Following a stellar junior campaign for the Wayne State College men’s basketball team, junior Jordan Janssen earned a postseason accolade.
According to a release from the Wayne State Athletics office, the Lincoln East graduate was named to the NABC (National Association of Basketball Coaches) 2021 Coaches’ Division II All-Central Region First Team announced Monday morning by the coaches association in Kansas City, Missouri.
Janssen, a 6-7 forward led the Wildcats in scoring and rebounding this season producing 16.0 points (12th-NSIC) and 9.8 rebounds (3rd-NSIC) per contest. He was named the NSIC South Division Player of the Year and was selected All-NSIC First Team South Division for a second straight season after helping the Wildcats win the NSIC South Division title. The team advanced to the NCAA Division II National Tournament for the first time in 21 years.
Janssen scored double figures in 17 of 18 games and had 10 double-doubles, which is tied for fourth in NCAA Division II this season. Janssen was named NSIC South Division Player of the Week three times this season for the Wildcats and also tied for sixth in the NSIC in blocked shots per game (1.4), sixth in field goal percentage (.523) and tied for 11th in assists per game (3.3).
Over the last 2 ½ seasons, Janssen has scored double figures in 55 of his last 57 games including 17 straight. He accounted for a career-high 29 points and 14 rebounds vs. Minnesota State (1/16/21) and had 23 points with a season-best 16 rebounds vs. Upper Iowa on 1/22/21.
The Wayne State College men’s basketball team finished this season with an 11-7 overall record and 10-4 mark in the NSIC South Division. The Wildcats won the NSIC South Division title for a second time in three seasons and advanced to the NCAA Division II Central Regional Tournament before falling to MSU Moorhead 84-72.
Northwest Missouri State defeated Northern State, 91-86 OT representing the Central Region in the Elite 8. The Bearcats were re-seeded to #2 and will face #7 West Liberty (Atlantic Region) on Wednesday, March 24 at 6 p.m. in Evansville, Indiana.
2021 NABC Division II All-District teams and coaches
Central Region Coach of the Year: Ben McCollum, Northwest Missouri State
Bold: NSIC
First Team: Parker Fox, Northern State; Tyler Geiman, Washburn; Ryan Hawkins, Northwest Missouri State; Trevor Hudgins, Northwest Missouri State; Jordan Janssen, Wayne State (NE) and Cam Martin, Missouri Southern State
Second Team: Diego Bernard, Northwest Missouri State; Lorenzo McGhee, MSU Moorhead; Mason Stark, Northern State; Jareese Williams, Upper Iowa and Jared Vitztum, Fort Hays State