Four men's basketball players from the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) were announced to All-Region 7 teams by D3hoops.com, including Calvin University sophomore Jalen Overway who was deemed Player of the Year. Additionally, Trine University's Brooks Miller was tabbed the Region 7 Coach of the Year.
Center Jalen Overway was named the 2024 Region 7 Player of the Year after previously being tabbed the Region 7 Rookie of the Year. This season, he was selected as the MIAA Most Valuable Player and is now a two-time All-MIAA honoree. Overway assisted the Knights to a 12-2 mark in league play for the co-championship title, along with an overall record of 25-5 and a trip to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16. He concluded the year as the conference leader with 220 field goals, 127 free throws, 230 defensive rebounds, 311 total boards, 10.4 rebounds per contest, 591 points, and 19.7 points per game. Overway was selected as the MIAA Men's Basketball Athlete of the Week three times.
Brooks Miller was named the 2024 Region 7 Coach of the Year in the midst of his program's historical season. In his thirteenth year at the helm, the Thunder not only qualified for their first-ever NCAA Tournament but are preparing to compete in the Final Four this evening. Under Miller's leadership, Trine was the regular-season co-champion with a league record of 12-2 and currently has an overall record of 27-4. This season, Miller coached four 2024 All-MIAA selections, along with 2024 MIAA Defensive Player of the Year Emmanuel Megnanglo. Since taking over the program, Miller has compiled an overall record of 224-116, including a 130-68 mark against MIAA opponents.
Senior forward Uchenna Egekeze also represents the Knights on the All-Region First Team after previously earning Third Team recognition in 2023. Egekeze concluded the season in the league's top five with 931 minutes played, 32.1 minutes per contest, and 52 steals. He is now a three-time All-MIAA selection and was named the MIAA Men's Basketball Athlete of the Week on February 19.
Trine senior guard Cortez Garland was selected to the All-Region Second Team in his first year on the Thunder squad. Heading into the NCAA Tournament semifinals, Garland currently sits in the MIAA's top three with 1,028 minutes played, 33.2 minutes per contest, 169 field goals, 123 free throws, 63 steals, 500 points, and 16.1 points per game. Garland is now a three-time All-MIAA honoree and was announced as the MIAA Men's Basketball Athlete of the Week on January 2.
Hope College senior forward Tanner Wiegerink received Third Team All-Region 7 honors after assisting the Flying Dutchmen to a league mark of 11-3, the 2024 MIAA Tournament title, a trip to round two of the NCAA Tournament, and an overall record of 23-7. Wiegerink concluded the year in the league's top five with a .561 field-goal percentage, 114 free throws, 66 offensive rebounds, 54 blocks, amd 393 points. He received a spot on the All-MIAA First Team and was selected the MIAA Men's Basketball Athlete of the Week twice.
Players were nominated for these awards by the Sports Information Directors at the various schools, and schools and conferences were each contacted multiple times as the season wound down to remind them to make their players eligible. There were 812 players nominated nationwide. The ballot was then made available to SIDs, who voted for a predetermined number of players in their region.
Players from these lists are eligible for the D3hoops.com All-America teams. The teams will be released March 16, at the national championship game.
D3hoops.com All-Region 7 Release
MIAA All-Region 7 Honorees
Calvin - Uchenna Egekeze (First Team), Jalen Overway (Player of the Year, First Team)
Hope - Tanner Wiegerink (Third Team)
Trine - Cortez Garland (Second Team), Brooks Miller (Coach of the Year)
