March 1, 2006

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - University of Denver senior center Yemi Nicholson (Aurora, Colo.) was named the 2006 Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year it was announced by the league office. Nicholson also earned All-SBC First Team accolades. The specialty awards and all-conference teams were voted on by Sun Belt head coaches as well as a selected media panel, and will be presented this week at the 2006 Aéropostale Sun Belt Conference Men and Women's Basketball Championships in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Nicholson, who led Denver to a second-place finish in the Sun Belt's West Division, became the first player in the 30-year history of the SBC to earn Player of the Week honor four times in a single season. The 2005-06 SBC Preseason Player of the Year was also named the TOWC Most Valuable Player and earned National Association of Basketball Coaches All-District 13 First Team honors.

The senior averaged a league-best 19.8 points to go along with 11.1 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game. He recorded 15 double-doubles and had one 30-point, 15-rebound game and seven 20-point, 15-rebound games. Nicholson scored 30-plus points three times, 20-plus points 15 times, 15-plus points 22 times and 10-plus points 27 times. He grabbed 10-plus rebounds 16 times.

He is the only player in the country who is ranked in the top 28 in scoring (28), rebounding (5), field-goal percentage (21) and blocks (19).

Nicholson and the rest of the Pioneers travel to Murfreesboro, Tenn. for the 2006 Sun Belt Conference Championship hosted by Middle Tennessee. Denver's first game will be on Sun., March 5 at 11 a.m. MT. DU is the No. 3 West Seed and will play East No. 2 Middle Tennessee.

2005-06 ALL-SUN BELT CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM
1ST TEAM	POS	YR  	SCHOOL
Bobby Dixon                 	G          	Sr.        	Troy
Courtney Lee                 	G/F       	So.       	Western Kentucky
Dwayne Mitchell            	G          	Sr.        	Louisiana-Lafayette
Yemi Nicholson             	C          	Sr.        	Denver
Anthony Winchester      	G          	Sr.        	Western Kentucky
2ND TEAM
Ivan Almonte                  	F          	Sr.        	Florida International
Kendrick Davis               	G          	Jr.        	North Texas
Mario Jointer                  	G          	Sr.        	South Alabama
Michael Southall            	C          	Sr.        	Louisiana-Lafayette
Dereke Tipler                 	G          	Sr.      	Arkansas State
3RD TEAM
Rashad Jones-Jennings  	F          	Jr.         	Arkansas-Little Rock
Richard Law                  	F          	Sr.        	South Alabama
Jaime McNeilly              	G          	Jr.         	New Orleans
Zack Wright                   	G          	Sr.        	Arkansas-Little Rock
Adam Vogelsberg          	G          	Jr.         	Middle Tennessee
PLAYER OF THE YEAR:           	Anthony Winchester, Western Kentucky
DEF. PLAYER OF THE YEAR:   	Yemi Nicholson, Denver
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR:     	Kendrick Davis, North Texas
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:      	Lekheythan Malone, UALR
COACH OF THE YEAR:             	John Pelphrey, South Alabama