March 10, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; March 10, 2009 - The recognition continues to come in after Penn State completed its most successful regular season since 2000-01. Sophomore point-guard Talor Battle, who Monday earned first-team All-Big Ten honors, was named to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association All-District II team on Tuesday. Penn State head coach Ed DeChellis, honored as Big Ten Coach-of-the-Year Monday, was also named one of the 12 finalists for the 2009 Skip Prosser Man-of-the-Year Award.
Battle, who was also named to the NABC All-District team, becomes just the third Nittany Lion to earn USBWA All-District honors joining Geary Claxton (2006) and Jarrett Stephen (2000). Battle, who led the Big Ten in scoring (17.3 ppg) and was second in assists (4.8 apg) while posting 13 20-point games, was joined on the All-District II team by Player of the Year DuJuan Blair (Pittsburgh), DeSean Butler (West Virginia), Dionte Christmas (Temple), Dante Cunningham (Villanova), Levance Fields (Pittsburgh), Jonny Flynn (Syracuse), Jeremy Hazell (Seton Hall), Ahmad Nivens (Saint Joseph's) and Sam Young (Pittsburgh).
Battle was one of seven Big Ten players named to one of the nine USBWA All-District teams nation-wide. District II encompasses the states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.
In his sixth season leading the Nittany Lions, DeChellis has guided Penn State to its most wins (21) since 2000-01, most Big Ten wins (10) since 1995-96, four victories over Top 25 ranked teams and in position to make its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2001.
"It's a great group of finalists," said Mark Prosser, son of the late Skip Prosser and chairman of the Prosser Award selection committee. "It was difficult to narrow the list down to 12 finalists. There were so many outstanding coaches."
The twelve finalists were selected from a group of semi-finalists compiled by the selection panel. The finalists include Jim Calhoun (Connecticut), Jeff Capel (Oklahoma), Ed Conroy (The Citadel), Ed DeChellis (Penn State), Jamie Dixon (Pittsburgh), Dino Gaudio (Wake Forest), Tom Izzo (Michigan State), Lon Kruger (UNLV), Billy Lange (Navy), Stew Morrill (Utah State), Bruce Weber (Illinois) and Trent Johnson (LSU).
The Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award is given annually to a Division I head coach who best represent the high standards of the coaching profession. Winning with integrity. The award, established by CollegeInsider.com and the Prosser family, is named in memory of former Wake Forest head coach Skip Prosser, a close friend of DeChellis'. Prosser passed away suddenly on July 26, 2007.
The 2009 recipient will be announced at the Final Four in Detroit.
-NITTANY LIONS-