Big Sky Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year
| Big Sky Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year | |
|---|---|
| Given for | the most outstanding basketball player in the Big Sky Conference |
| Country | United States |
| History | |
| First award | 1979 |
| Most recent | Bogdan Bliznyuk, Eastern Washington |
The Big Sky Conference Player of the Year Award, officially known as the Big Sky Conference Most Valuable Player Award, is an annual basketball award given to the Big Sky Conference's most outstanding player. The award was first given following the 1978–79 season. Only one player, Larry Krystkowiak of Montana, has won the award three times (1984–1986). Three others have been two-time winners: Orlando Lightfoot of Idaho (1993, 1994) and Harold Arceneaux (1999, 2000) and Damian Lillard (2010, 2012) of Weber State.
Weber State has the most all-time awards (11) and individual winners (9). Montana is second in total awards with seven, while Idaho (which returned to the Big Sky in 2014 after an 18-year absence) has had six. Those two schools are tied for second in individual winners with five. Only one current Big Sky member, Southern Utah (which joined in 2012), has never had a winner.
Key
| † | Co-Players of the Year |
| * | Awarded a national Player of the Year award: Helms Foundation College Basketball Player of the Year (1904–05 to 1978–79) UPI College Basketball Player of the Year (1954–55 to 1995–96) Naismith College Player of the Year (1968–69 to present) John R. Wooden Award (1976–77 to present) |
| Player (X) | Denotes the number of times the player has been awarded the Big Sky Player of the Year award at that point |
Winners
Winners by school
| School (year joined) | Winners | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Weber State (1963) | 11 | 1995, 1996†, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 |
| Montana (1963) | 7 | 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1991, 1992†, 2013 |
| Idaho (1963, 2014)[lower-alpha 1] | 6 | 1980, 1981, 1982, 1990, 1993, 1994 |
| Eastern Washington (1987) | 4 | 2004, 2006, 2017, 2018 |
| Montana State (1963) | 3 | 1987, 1996†, 2002 |
| Boise State (1970)[lower-alpha 2] | 2 | 1988, 1989 |
| Northern Arizona (1970) | 2 | 1997, 1998 |
| Portland State (1996) | 2 | 2005, 2008 |
| Cal State Northridge (1996)[lower-alpha 3] | 1 | 2001 |
| Idaho State (1963) | 1 | 1979 |
| Nevada (1979)[lower-alpha 4] | 1 | 1992† |
| Northern Colorado (2006) | 1 | 2011 |
| Sacramento State (1996) | 1 | 2015 |
| North Dakota (2012)[lower-alpha 5] | 0 | — |
| Southern Utah (2012) | 0 | — |
Footnotes
- ↑ The University of Idaho left in 1996 to join the Big West Conference, and rejoined the Big Sky for non-football sports in 2014 (and football in 2018).
- ↑ Boise State University left in 1996 to join the Big West. The Broncos are now in the Mountain West Conference (MW).
- ↑ California State University, Northridge left in 2001 to join the Big West.
- ↑ The University of Nevada, Reno left in 1992 to join the Big West. The Wolf Pack are now in the MW.
- ↑ The University of North Dakota left in 2018 to join the Summit League.
References
- "Award Winners" (PDF). Basketball Media Guide 2009–10 (pg. 82). Big Sky Conference. 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
- "1963–2009 All-Conference Men's Basketball Teams". Big Sky men's basketball. Big Sky Conference. 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
- ↑ "MVP: Idaho's Newman named top player in Big Sky". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). March 8, 1980. p. 2C.
- ↑ "Kellerman honored". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). March 12, 1981. p. 52.
- ↑ "Vandal guard selected MVP". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. March 10, 1982. p. 1C.
- ↑ "Vandals honored". Spokane Chronicle. (Washington). March 10, 1982.
- ↑ "Kellerman honored". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. March 16, 1983. p. C2.
- ↑ "Big Sky". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). March 16, 1983. p. 2C.
- ↑ "EWU's Bliznyuk Tabben #BigSkyMBB Most Valuable Player to Headline All-Conference Teams" (Press release). Big Sky Conference. March 5, 2018. Retrieved March 5, 2018.