Men's and Women's Basketball Team Awards: Coaches Award

Coaches Award

Women's Basketball

Women's Team Coaches Award – Lyndi Shepard

The women's basketball coaches award seeks to recognize a women's basketball award seeks to recognize a women's basketball player who showed respect for coaches, worked hard, was a good leader, and was a positive player. This year's recipient is Lyndi Shepard!

Lyndi led the way for the women's team in multiple game statistics. Averaging 14.1 points per game and 35.2 minutes per game put her at the top of these categories for our 2019-20 squad. In addition, "Laser" Lyndi drained 64 3-pointers while shooting 30.9% from the 3-point line.

As the Coaches Award winner, Lyndi was also a leader off the court including in practices and across our college campus. Whether during games or in practices, Lyndi was always positive in helping teammates as well as in receiving input from her teammates. Work ethic, encouragement, energy, teamwork, discipleship, and Christ-likeness are just a few more areas Lyndi led the team throughout the entire season. The Lady Eagles basketball program will miss Lyndi Shepard next year as she leaves behind some big shoes to fill as a leader in so many ways. 

Men's Basketball

Men's Team Coaches Award – Tanner Van Beek

The men's basketball coaches award seeks to recognize a men's basketball player who exemplifies a Christ like, coachable attitude, a servant's heart, and is an encouragement to his teammates. This year's recipient is senior Tanner Van Beek. You would be hard pressed to find a young man more deserving and more representative of the qualifications for this award. 

On the court this year, Tanner led the team as a captain and was 1st on the team in FG% while averaging 12.5 ppg. Tanner was consistently competitive in practice and in games. He sought to serve his teammates, listen to his coaches, and point others to Christ. Tanner's ultimate goal was always to use basketball as a vehicle to share Christ with others, whether it was directly through conversations or indirectly through his Christ honoring attitude and actions. 

Coach Fincham had this to say about Tanner "I have been so incredibly blessed to have had the privilege to coach Tanner the past four years. I have been consistently challenged by his heart for the Lord and his love for others. Tanner is a great basketball player, but he's an even greater teammate. His leadership the past three years as a captain has been invaluable and I have so appreciated the relationship we've developed over the past four year. Congratulations to Tanner on receiving this recognition from his teammates and coaches. His testimony this season and throughout his career are a reflection of his love for the Lord and his desire to share that love with others."

Tanner finished the year 21st in the nation in field goal percentage. He was an MCCC Honorable Mention selection and a 2nd Team All Region selection.