M State Spartan Foday Sheriff named NJCAA Player of the Year
M State Spartans men’s basketball player Foday Sheriff has been named the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division III Men’s Basketball Player of the Year, the NJCAA announced today.
Sheriff, a sophomore forward from Upper Derby, Pennsylvania, is only the second basketball player in M State history to receive the national Player of the Year title. (The first was Jason Retzlaff in the 1997-1998 season; Retzlaff is now an athletic director at M State.)
The honor caps an award-winning season for Sheriff, who was also named 1st Team All-American by the NJCAA – the fourth such honor in Spartan men’s basketball history – and Region XIII MVP. The Minnesota College Athletic Conference (MCAC) named him South Division Player of the Year, All-MCAC and All-MCAC South Division.
“Coach believed in me, let me play my game, and pushed me to get better every day,” Sheriff says of his impressive performance with the Spartans.
That coach is David Cresap, head coach of the Spartans men’s basketball team, who also won recognition from the NJCAA this season as Region XIII Division III Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year. In his second season at M State, Cresap led the team to the MCAC/Region XIII Championship and a fourth-place finish at the national tournament. It was the Spartans’ first MCAC championship in 22 years, and first Region XIII championship in 21 years. The team finished the season with a 30-4 record, a new school record for most wins.
Sheriff was a key player in that success, leading the team, region and entire NJCAA in many categories. He was number one in the nation in field goals (301-523) and defensive rebounds (286) and second in the nation in total points, with 750. He averaged 10.8 rebounds per game and 8.4 defensive rebounds per game, and led the team in points per game, with 22.1. His time with the Spartans was filled with dominant performances.
"What a tremendous and well-deserved honor for Foday to be named 1st Team All-American,” says Head Coach David Cresap. “It's an understatement to call him a complete player. He can score inside and out, elevates his teammates through his exceptional passing and court awareness, and consistently amazes with his athleticism. Beyond his outstanding skills, we deeply appreciate the great teammate and person of character Foday has been for us, both on and off the court. We are proud of his accomplishments and grateful for his contributions to Spartan basketball. He was truly a joy to coach, and we know great things await him."
