The purpose of the award is to recognize the outstanding NCCAA student-athlete in Division II Men's Basketball. It highlights excellence in competition, skill, academics, and Christian service during his career. This award is sponsored by Mr. Gary Beck, manager of the Gary Beck Foundation and a former NCCAA All-American student-athlete from Greenville College (IL).
The NCCAA is pleased to recognize Ben Akers of Boyce College as the 2016 Division II Pete Maravich Award winner.
Ben, a 6-foot-5 senior guard from Danville, Kentucky, is a leader for the Bulldogs and the team looks to him for confidence. This season Ben averaged 15.5 points per game and 6.6 rebounds per game. His free throw percentage of 84.2 percent is third in the NCCAA and his 44.5 percent shooting from behind the arc ranks eighth. For his career, Ben averaged 13.4 points per game and 3.7 rebounds per game. Ben has been named to the All-Region team for the past two years.
Off the court, Ben is very involved with a local church. He spent last summer in a youth ministry internship in Texas and aims to do youth ministry long term. Ben carries a 3.0 GPA in his youth ministry studies and has been on the Dean’s List. Boyce College’s head basketball coach Blake Rogers states, “Ben never played high school basketball, but through hard work and dedication he is a top national player.” Rogers added, “He’s one of two players who have been with me for four years and has grown as a leader in great ways.”
Pete Maravich Award Finalists
Kaleb Baker, Johnson University Florida
Charles Brodhead, Barclay College
Previous Winners