AUSTINTOWN, Ohio — On Saturday night, junior Trevor Halter (Malvern/Malvern) became the first Marietta College men's basketball player to be named Most Valuable Player of the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament. Halter made history again Monday (Feb. 28) morning when the league coaches voted him the 2011 Mike Gregory OAC Player of the Year.

Junior Kevin Knab (Lakewood/Lakewood) joined Halter in receiving All-OAC first team honors, while freshman Tyler Hammond (Cleveland/St. Ignatius) earned All-OAC honorable mention and coach Jon VanderWal was named the OAC Coach of the Year.

The Mike Gregory OAC Player of the Year is presented annually to the OAC's most outstanding basketball player. Established in 1957 in honor of one of the most outstanding athletes in league history, is named after a former multi-sport standout that graduated from Denison University in 1929.

Halter, Marietta's first Gregory award winner, enters the NCAA Tournament having scored 435 points, pulled down 108 rebounds and dished out 40 assists to go along with 19 steals and 15 blocks. He is shooting 53.2% (151-of-284) from the field, including 45.5% (60-of-132) from long range, and 64.6% (73-of-113) from the charity stripe. Halter ranks sixth among league players in scoring (15.5) as well as ninth in field goal percentage and third in three-point field goal percentage. He has scored double figures in 23 games and scored a career-best 29 points in a regular season game against John Carroll. Halter, an All-OAC honorable mention selection as both a freshman and sophomore, currently sits 17th all-time with 1,170 career points.

Knab, who received All-OAC honorable mention as a freshman and All-OAC second team recognition as a sophomore, moved up to All-OAC first team honors this season. He has accumulated a team-best 178 rebounds and 29 blocks while adding 425 points, 39 assists and 18 steals so far this winter. Knab is shooting 61.7% (156-of-253) from the floor and 81.9% (113-of-138) from the free throw line. He ranks eighth in the OAC in scoring (15.2), sixth in rebounding (6.4), fourth in blocks (1.0), second in field goal percentage and third in free throw percentage. Knab has scored double figures in 25 games and posted three double-doubles. He scored a career-high 31 points in Marietta's regular season finale at John Carroll. Knab currently sits 21st all-time with 1,086 career points.

Hammond earned All-OAC honorable mention in 2010-11. The rookie enters the NCAA Tournament having scored 307 points, caromed 69 rebounds, dished out 88 assists and swiped 34 steals. Hammond, the Pioneers' third leading scorer, is shooting 47.6% (107-of-225) from the floor, including 30.2% (16-of-53) from three-point range, and 81.1% (77-of-95) from the free throw line. Hammond ranks sixth among OAC players in assists (3.1) while also second in assist to turnover ratio (1.5) and fourth in free throw percentage. He has scored in double figures on 15 occasions, pouring in a career-high 22 points in a regular season game against Wilmington. Hammond also dished out a season-high eight assists against Otterbein.

VanderWal, who is in his fourth year, is the second Pioneer leader to be named OAC Men's Basketball Coach of the Year. He joins Phil Roach, who led the last Marietta OAC regular season champion and NCAA Tournament qualifying squad in 1974-75. The historical success of this season has helped him improve his career coaching record to 53-52.

The #13 Pioneers, who began the year with a school record 13 straight wins, enter the NCAA Division III Tournament with a school record 25 victories. The Ohio Athletic Conference regular season and tournament champions will make its second ever NCAA Division III Tournament appearance in 2011. Marietta (25-3) will find out more details, including time, opponent and location, of their first round game during the NCAA Division III Selection Show 1 p.m. Monday on http://ncaa.com.