Valparaiso University freshman guard Javon Freeman (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young) earned a pair of accolades on Tuesday, earning spots on the Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman and All-Defensive Teams as the MVC unveiled its postseason All-Conference teams. Freeman is the first MVC freshman to earn a spot on both squads since Jake Odum in 2011.

Freeman has racked up the steals defensively all season long, tallying 56 steals entering the MVC Tournament – a new Valpo freshman record and sixth-most overall in a single season in Valpo history, just seven shy of the single-season record. He also leads the MVC with 1.8 steals/game, which would make him the first Valpo freshman to lead a conference in one of the five major statistical categories, as well as the first Valpo player to pace the conference in steals. Freeman would also become just the third MVC freshman to lead the conference in steals as a rookie.

But Freeman’s impact has come all over the court, earning him a spot on the All-Freshman Team as well. Freeman made an immediate impact offensively, scoring in double figures in each of his first five career games – the longest stretch to open a career by a Valpo freshman. He enters the MVC Tournament averaging 10.9 points per game, has scored in double figures 16 times and has paced Valpo in scoring seven times. Freeman also ranks third on the team in rebounding (4.2/game) and assists (62) in addition to his team-high steal total. He is just 11 points and nine rebounds shy of cracking Valpo’s top-five totals by freshmen in those categories as well.