Posted by Scott Cummings - Wed, Mar 24, 2010 - [ Men's Basketball ] - Viewed 722 times
Eric Hobbie was the 2009-10 AMC Player of the Year
Eric Hobbie was the 2009-10 AMC Player of the Year

(LEBANON, Ill., March 24)-McKendree University junior forward Eric Hobbie capped off a spectacular season by earned first-team All-America honors from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in Division I. The honor was announced Tuesday afternoon prior to the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship game in Kansas City, Mo.

In addition to Hobbie's first-team honor, senior forward Kenny Detmer closed out his McKendree career by earning honorable mention NAIA Division I All-America accolades.

Hobbie (Vandalia, Ill./Vandalia) led McKendree in scoring this season at 16.7 points per game, in steals with 52 and in blocked shots with 43. Hobbie was second on the Bearcats' squad in rebounding, grabbing 6.6 per contest, while he was third with 60 assists. He shot 46.1 percent from the field, making a team-best 74 three-point field goals in the process. Hobbie also led McKendree in free throw percentage at 79 percent.

In the American Midwest Conference Tournament championship game against Park University, Hobbie poured in a career-high 32 points in the Bearcats' 84-66 victory. At the conclusion of that game, Hobbie was recognized as the 2009-10 AMC Player of the Year. Hobbie also joined McKendree's 1,000-point club during the season opener back on Oct. 31 against Trinity International University. Hobbie will enter the 2010-11 season with 1,525 career points at McKendree.

Detmer (Aviston, Ill./Breese Central) was second on the McKendree squad in scoring at 10.4 points per game, while he led the Bearcats in rebounding at 6.8 per outing. Detmer was third on the squad in field goal percentage at 51.7 percent. He shot nearly 72 percent from the foul line for the year. Detmer also placed third on the team with 26 blocks and was fourth with 58 assists.

Like Hobbie, Detmer netted a career-high in scoring during the AMC Tournament championship game against Park. Detmer scored 25 points in the victory for the Bearcats.

Both Hobbie and Detmer were first-team All-Conference selections in the AMC. For Hobbie, it was his third consecutive first-team All-AMC honor, while it was the first for Detmer. Hobbie was an NAIA Division I honorable mention All-America selection in each of the last two years.

The McKendree University men's basketball team closed out the 2009-10 season with an overall record of 27-7. The Bearcats were the regular-season and tournament champions in the AMC, and were ranked No. 8 in the final NAIA Division I Men's Basketball poll. McKendree advanced to the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship for the fourth straight year, and 14th time in program history.

-McK-