Sohia Peppers

(msidemustangs.com) Morningside College’s men’s and women’s basketball programs were represented on the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ All-American awards lists, released Thursday, March 25.

Head coach Jamie Sale’s women’s team and head coach Jim Sykes’ men’s squad each had two individuals recognized for their 2020-21 resumes. The women’s program extended a sparkling string of 18 straight seasons with at least one student-athlete being selected. The men ran a similar streak to five years in a row.

Senior guard Sierra Mitchell (SR/Pleasant Hill, Iowa) (Pleasant Hill, Iowa), who became the fourth player in school history to reach the 2,000-point mark and climbed into second on the Great Plains Athletic Conference’s all-time three-point basket chart, was tabbed first team, and junior forward Sophia Peppers (JR/Exira, Iowa) (Exira, Iowa) claimed honorable mention accolades. Mitchell, the 2020-21 GPAC Offensive Player of the Year, wound up the national leader in scoring (580 points) and made three-point baskets (125) and was also part of the top five in made treys per contest (3.906 – No. 3) and steals (79 – No. 5). It was her first first-team selection and third overall.

Peppers, gaining her first All-American recognition, was also part of the NAIA best 20 in points and steals. Her 458 points were 14th-best, and her 67 steals ranked 17th. She and her senior teammate were also named all-NAIA Championships tournament selections as part of a season when Peppers joined the 1,000-point club.

Morningside’s men had senior center Trey Brown (SR/Gretna, NE ) (Gretna, Neb.) and senior guard Zac Imig (Gretna, Neb.) honored. Brown was a second-team honoree, and Imig was tabbed honorable mention.

Brown, garnering his first All-American award, was part of two national statistical top 10s. His 304 rebounds stood fourth, and his 11.259 boards per contest average were seventh-best. He was also part of the first 20 in defensive caroms per outing (7.852 – No. 14), offensive rebounds per appearance (3.407), and field goal accuracy (62.5 percent – No. 20).

Imig earned his third successive honorable mention tag. The GPAC’s Defensive Player of the Year wound up ninth in assists (136) on the final NAIA numbers.