Holmes named MVP for 3rd time
Dayton Flyers star DaRon Holmes II made more program history Wednesday when he was named the winner of the team’s White Allen MVP award.
The junior forward is the ninth player to win the honor three times and the first to do it in his first three seasons.
Previous three-time winners were: Henry Finkel (1963-66); Donald Smith (1972-74); Jim Paxson (1977-79); Roosevelt Chapman (1982-84); Ryan Perryman (1996-98); Brian Roberts (200508); Chris Wright (2008-11); and Jalen Crutcher (2018-21).
Holmes shared the award with Toumani Camara last season and with Camara and Malachi Smith in the 2021-22 season.
Holmes also won the “Shorty” Sharpenter Top Rebounder Award. He led the team with 8.5 rebounds per game.
A consensus All-American who won the Atlantic 10 Co-Player of the Year and Defender of the Year awards, Holmes averaged 20.4 points. He owns UD career records for blocked shots (215) and dunks (241) and ranks 11th in career scoring (1,745 points) and sixth in career field-goal percentage (.588, 630 of 1071).
Here’s a glance at the other UD awards handed out Wednesday:
Alex Schoen Free Throw Percentage: Kobe Elvis.
John L. Macbeth Scholar-Athlete: Atticus Schuler.
Dr. George Rau Spirit Award: Isaac Jack.
Chris Daniels Memorial Award (most improved): Nate Santos.
Thomas M. Luppe Memorial Award (first-year player “who best demonstrates the courage, desire and integrity” of Luppe): Javon Bennett.
Steve McElvene Best Defender Award: Enoch Cheeks.
Uhl Family Endowed Scholarship (UD player who best exemplifies the qualities of sportsmanship and character): Cheeks.
James G. & Purcell S. Palmer Scholarship (Dayton player who best embodies the former Flyer Palmer’s characteristics, on and off the court): Brady Uhl.
Herb Dintaman Managers Scholarship: rising senior Liam Armstrong, who is from Kettering and majoring in accounting with a minor in management information systems; and rising junior Ben English, who is majoring in mechanical engineering.