Liberty forward Zach Cleveland was named Conference USA Player of the Year on Monday, leading a group of Flames recognized among the league’s top performers in the conference’s annual postseason awards.
Cleveland, a senior from Bloomington, Illinois, averaged 12.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game in conference play while shooting 62.7% from the field. He also averaged 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks per game, emerging as one of the league’s most versatile players.
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He recorded one of the conference’s top individual performances this season with a triple-double — 19 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists — in a win over Missouri State. It marked the first triple-double by a Liberty player in Conference USA play.
Cleveland was joined among the conference’s postseason honorees by teammate Brett Decker Jr., who earned first-team All-Conference honors, while Liberty guard Kaden Metheny was named to the All-Conference third team.
Across the league, Sam Houston’s Chris Mudge and Liberty’s Ritchie McKay were named the Gene Bartow Co-Coaches of the Year. Sam Houston’s Kashie Natt earned Defensive Player of the Year honors, while Jacksonville State’s Mostapha El Moutaouakkil was named Newcomer of the Year. Sam Houston freshman Jacob Walker was selected Sixth Player of the Year.
Liberty was also represented in the Conference USA women’s postseason honors.
Liberty guard Emma Hess earned All-Conference recognition after leading the Lady Flames in scoring during conference play. Hess averaged double figures in CUSA games and ranked among the league leaders in 3-point shooting, helping Liberty remain competitive in its second season in the conference.
FIU’s Rhema Collins swept the league’s top individual honors on the women’s side, becoming the first player in program history to be named Conference USA Player of the Year while also earning Newcomer of the Year.
Collins averaged 17.2 points and 9.0 rebounds per game and delivered the conference’s highest-scoring performance of the season with a 40-point outing against Georgia State.
Middle Tennessee’s Blair Baugus was named Freshman of the Year, Sam Houston’s Fanta Kone earned Defensive Player of the Year and UTEP’s Mary Moses Amanyio was named Sixth Player of the Year. Louisiana Tech coach Brooke Stoehr was selected Coach of the Year.
The awards were voted on by the league’s coaches, sports information directors and media members ahead of this week’s Conference USA tournaments in Huntsville, Alabama.