Eastern Michigan Athletics
Three Eagles Land Spot on Men’s Basketball Academic All-MAC Team
4/14/2021 12:08:00 PM | Men's Basketball
29 student-athletes were honored by the conference
CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – Three Eastern Michigan University men's basketball student-athletes landed a spot on the Academic All-Mid-American Conference team, the league office announced today, April 14. Redshirt junior Derek Ballard Jr. (Southfield, Mich.-Southfield-Lathrup), sophomore Chris James (Long Beach, Calif.-St. John Bosco), and senior Darion Spottsville (Phoenix, Ariz.-Shadow Mountain (South Mountain C.C.)) earned the honor.
Eastern Michigan has had student-athletes receive All-MAC accolades for eight-straight seasons. Ballard Jr. joins an elite group as he is one of five EMU players in men's basketball history to be named to the Academic All-MAC Team multiple times: Dan Hoff (1975-76), Walt Jones (1975-76), Trent Perry (2015-16), Paul Jackson (2018-19), and Ballard Jr. (2020-21).
Miami, Ohio, and Western Michigan led the MAC with four student-athletes each. EMU and Buffalo followed with three honorees, while Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, and Toledo all post two, respectively. Kent State recorded one recipient.
The Academic All-MAC honor is for a student-athlete who has excelled in athletics and academics over the course of the 2020-21 year. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport.
Ballard Jr. appeared in 15 games for the Green and White and made one start. The forward averaged 2.5 points per game and grabbed 2.8 rebounds per content. The redshirt junior recorded a career-high eight points against Miami, Jan. 23, and pulled down a personal-best six rebounds twice last season (at Central Michigan, Jan. 16; at Ball State, March 2). The Southfield, Mich. native boasts a 3.53 GPA and is a Sport management major.
James, a Criminology and Criminal Justice major, saw game action in 16 games with seven starts. The guard tallied 3.7 points per game in 2020-21 and shot 30.5 percent from the field (18-of-59). James posted two double-figure scoring performances, including a career-high 19 points against Adrian, Dec. 9. The Long Beach, Calif. native holds a 3.66 GPA.
Spottsville appeared in 17 games for the Eagles with six starts. The Phoenix, Ariz. native averaged 5.2 points per game and dished out 32 assists. He tallied 10-or-more points four times last season including a season-high 12 points twice (at Michigan State, Nov. 25; at Buffalo, Jan. 21). The senior is a Sport management major with a 3.27 GPA.
For more information on Eastern Michigan men's basketball, visit EMUEagles.com or follow the team's official Twitter at Twitter.com/EMU_MBB, on Facebook at Facebook.com/EMUMBB, or on Instagram at Instgram.com/emumbb.
MAC Men's Basketball Academic All-MAC Team
Derek Ballard Jr., Eastern Michigan, R-Junior, Sport Management, 3.53 GPA
Chris James, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, Criminology and Criminal Justice, 3.66 GPA
Darion Spottsville, Eastern Michigan, Senior, Sport Management, 3.27 GPA
Loren Cristian Jackson, Akron, Graduate Student, Master's Sports Science, 3.90 GPA
Mikal Dawson, Akron, Sophomore, Sports Science, 3.60 GPA
Luke Bumbalough, Ball State, Sophomore, Exercise Science, 3.593 GPA
Brachen Hazen, Ball State, 5th yr., Communications Sciences, 3.821 GPA
Chandler Turner, Bowling Green, Sophomore, Psychology, 3.315 GPA
Dylan Swingle, Bowling Green, Redshirt-Sophomore, Sport Management, 3.289 GPA
David Skogman, Buffalo, R-Freshman, Accounting, 3.591 GPA
Tra'von Fagan, Buffalo, R-Junior, Education Studies, 3.800 GPA
Brock Bertram, Buffalo, Senior, Education Studies, 3.734 GPA
Matt Beachler, Central Michigan, R-Junior, Accounting, 3.63 GPA
Caleb Hodgson, Central Michigan, R-Freshman, Health and Physical Education, 3.85 GPA
Evan Bainbridge, Kent State, Sophomore, Sports Administration, 3.832 GPA
Precious Ayah, Miami, Graduate Student, Business Administration, 3.25 GPA
James Beck, Miami, R-Junior, Family Science, 3.35 GPA
Javin Etzler, Miami, R-Freshman, Sports Leadership & Management, 3.25 GPA
Milos Jovic, Miami, Graduate Student, Educational Psychology, 3.90 GPA
Jason Preston, Ohio, Junior, Sport Management, 3.27 GPA
Ben Roderick, Ohio, Sophomore, Sport Management, 3.49 GPA
Ben Vander Plas, Ohio, R-Junior, Sports Administration, 4.0 GPA
Dwight Wilson, III, Ohio, Senior, Specialized Studies, 3.49 GPA
Spencer Littleson, Toledo, Graduate Student, Business Administration, 3.750 GPA
Mattia Acunzo, Toledo, R-Freshman, Business, 3.38 GPA
Jason Whitens, Western Michigan, R-Junior, Sales & Marketing, 3.46 GPA
Chase Barrs, Western Michigan, Sophomore, Business, 3.63 GPA
William Boyer-Richard, Western Michigan, Junior, Finance, 3.87 GPA
Patrick Emilien, Western Michigan, Junior, Marketing, 3.68 GPA
Eastern Michigan has had student-athletes receive All-MAC accolades for eight-straight seasons. Ballard Jr. joins an elite group as he is one of five EMU players in men's basketball history to be named to the Academic All-MAC Team multiple times: Dan Hoff (1975-76), Walt Jones (1975-76), Trent Perry (2015-16), Paul Jackson (2018-19), and Ballard Jr. (2020-21).
Miami, Ohio, and Western Michigan led the MAC with four student-athletes each. EMU and Buffalo followed with three honorees, while Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, and Toledo all post two, respectively. Kent State recorded one recipient.
The Academic All-MAC honor is for a student-athlete who has excelled in athletics and academics over the course of the 2020-21 year. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport.
Ballard Jr. appeared in 15 games for the Green and White and made one start. The forward averaged 2.5 points per game and grabbed 2.8 rebounds per content. The redshirt junior recorded a career-high eight points against Miami, Jan. 23, and pulled down a personal-best six rebounds twice last season (at Central Michigan, Jan. 16; at Ball State, March 2). The Southfield, Mich. native boasts a 3.53 GPA and is a Sport management major.
James, a Criminology and Criminal Justice major, saw game action in 16 games with seven starts. The guard tallied 3.7 points per game in 2020-21 and shot 30.5 percent from the field (18-of-59). James posted two double-figure scoring performances, including a career-high 19 points against Adrian, Dec. 9. The Long Beach, Calif. native holds a 3.66 GPA.
Spottsville appeared in 17 games for the Eagles with six starts. The Phoenix, Ariz. native averaged 5.2 points per game and dished out 32 assists. He tallied 10-or-more points four times last season including a season-high 12 points twice (at Michigan State, Nov. 25; at Buffalo, Jan. 21). The senior is a Sport management major with a 3.27 GPA.
For more information on Eastern Michigan men's basketball, visit EMUEagles.com or follow the team's official Twitter at Twitter.com/EMU_MBB, on Facebook at Facebook.com/EMUMBB, or on Instagram at Instgram.com/emumbb.
MAC Men's Basketball Academic All-MAC Team
Derek Ballard Jr., Eastern Michigan, R-Junior, Sport Management, 3.53 GPA
Chris James, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, Criminology and Criminal Justice, 3.66 GPA
Darion Spottsville, Eastern Michigan, Senior, Sport Management, 3.27 GPA
Loren Cristian Jackson, Akron, Graduate Student, Master's Sports Science, 3.90 GPA
Mikal Dawson, Akron, Sophomore, Sports Science, 3.60 GPA
Luke Bumbalough, Ball State, Sophomore, Exercise Science, 3.593 GPA
Brachen Hazen, Ball State, 5th yr., Communications Sciences, 3.821 GPA
Chandler Turner, Bowling Green, Sophomore, Psychology, 3.315 GPA
Dylan Swingle, Bowling Green, Redshirt-Sophomore, Sport Management, 3.289 GPA
David Skogman, Buffalo, R-Freshman, Accounting, 3.591 GPA
Tra'von Fagan, Buffalo, R-Junior, Education Studies, 3.800 GPA
Brock Bertram, Buffalo, Senior, Education Studies, 3.734 GPA
Matt Beachler, Central Michigan, R-Junior, Accounting, 3.63 GPA
Caleb Hodgson, Central Michigan, R-Freshman, Health and Physical Education, 3.85 GPA
Evan Bainbridge, Kent State, Sophomore, Sports Administration, 3.832 GPA
Precious Ayah, Miami, Graduate Student, Business Administration, 3.25 GPA
James Beck, Miami, R-Junior, Family Science, 3.35 GPA
Javin Etzler, Miami, R-Freshman, Sports Leadership & Management, 3.25 GPA
Milos Jovic, Miami, Graduate Student, Educational Psychology, 3.90 GPA
Jason Preston, Ohio, Junior, Sport Management, 3.27 GPA
Ben Roderick, Ohio, Sophomore, Sport Management, 3.49 GPA
Ben Vander Plas, Ohio, R-Junior, Sports Administration, 4.0 GPA
Dwight Wilson, III, Ohio, Senior, Specialized Studies, 3.49 GPA
Spencer Littleson, Toledo, Graduate Student, Business Administration, 3.750 GPA
Mattia Acunzo, Toledo, R-Freshman, Business, 3.38 GPA
Jason Whitens, Western Michigan, R-Junior, Sales & Marketing, 3.46 GPA
Chase Barrs, Western Michigan, Sophomore, Business, 3.63 GPA
William Boyer-Richard, Western Michigan, Junior, Finance, 3.87 GPA
Patrick Emilien, Western Michigan, Junior, Marketing, 3.68 GPA
Players Mentioned
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