A trio of Valparaiso University men’s basketball players were recognized on Tuesday morning as the Missouri Valley Conference office announced the league’s postseason all-conference teams.

Valpo’s Ben Krikke (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada / Jasper Place) was named to the All-MVC Third Team, while Kobe King (La Crosse, Wis. / La Crosse [Wisconsin]) earned MVC All-Newcomer Team recognition and Preston Ruedinger (Oshkosh, Wis. / Lourdes Academy) was named to the MVC All-Freshman Team.

Krikke ranks tied for ninth in the conference in scoring average at 14.5 points per game in 27 games. He is also seventh in the league field goal percentage at 53.9 and fifth in free-throw percentage at 84.3. The junior scored in double figures in 21 of his 27 regular-season games including each of the last 11. Entering Arch Madness, Krikke is just 45 points away from reaching the 1,000-point milestone for his collegiate career.

Krikke is one of just four players in the MVC shooting above 50 percent from the field and above 80 percent from the free-throw line and owns the highest field-goal percentage and second-highest free-throw percentage in that elite group. His rebounding has also been on the rise, as he’s squeezed five boards or more in six straight games and 10 of his last 11. During the final 11 games of the regular season, Krikke averaged 15.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.

This marks the second straight year that Krikke has achieved All-MVC Third Team honors. Last season, he was also a member of the MVC Most-Improved Team, MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team and CoSIDA Academic All-District Team.

King is averaging 14.2 points per game in 21 games, a scoring average that ranks 12^th in the league. He has made 18 appearances in double figures and has scored 15 points or more in nine of his first 21 games in a Valpo uniform. King has reached double figures 11 times in his last 12 games. He also ranks ninth in the conference in offensive rebounds per game at 1.5.

Ruedinger, a walk-on who is not on an athletic scholarship this season, has played in 15 games and made 11 starts. The point guard is averaging 3.2 points per game while dishing out 23 assists against just five turnovers in 19.7 minutes per game. He is one of just three players in the nation with more than 25 assists and fewer than 10 turnovers, joining UCLA’s David Singleton and NC State’s Thomas Allen. Ruedinger has not had multiple turnovers in any game this season and has played turnover-free basketball in 11 of his 17 contests.

The MVC Most-Improved Team and All-Bench Team will be announced on Wednesday, while the MVC Scholar-Athlete Team will be announced on Thursday.

Beacon Bits

• Krikke becomes the first Valpo player to earn All-MVC accolades in two different seasons. The program’s last multi-time all-conference honoree was Alec Peters, who was a first-team all-Horizon League pick in each of his final three seasons, concluding in 2016-17.
• This marks the fourth consecutive season that Valpo has boasted an all-freshman team representative. Ruedinger follows Sheldon Edwards (2020-21), Donovan Clay (2019-20) and Javon Freeman-Liberty (2018-19). Valpo has had either an All-Freshman Team honoree or an All-Newcomer Team performer in each of the five seasons since joining The Valley.
• King becomes Valpo’s second All-Newcomer Team choice since joining the league and first since Bakari Evelyn in 2017-18.

2022 All-Missouri Valley Conference Men’s Basketball Team

First Team Yr. Pos. Ht. Hometown

AJ Green, UNI Jr. G 6-4 Cedar Falls (Iowa) Cedar Falls

Isiaih Mosley, Missouri St. Jr. G 6-5 Columbia (Mo.) Rock Bridge

Gaige Prim, Missouri St. Sr. F 6-9 Aurora (Colo.) Grandview (South Plains College)

Terry Roberts, Bradley Jr. G 6-3 North Amityville (N.Y.) Florida SouthWestern

Lucas Williamson, Loyola Gr. G 6-4 Chicago (Ill.) Whitney Young

Second Team

Noah Carter, UNI So. F 6-6 Dubuque (Iowa) Dubuque Senior

Tucker DeVries, Drake Fr. G/F 6-7 Waukee (Iowa) Waukee

Marcus Domask, S. Illinois Jr. F 6-6 Waupun (Wis.) Waupun

Antonio Reeves, Illinois St. Jr. G 6-6 Chicago (Ill.) Simeon

Garrett Sturtz, Drake Sr. G 6-3 Newton (Iowa) Newton

Third Team

Ben Krikke, Valparaiso Jr. F 6-9 Edmonton (Alberta, Canada) Jasper Place

Rienk Mast, Bradley So. F 6-9 Groningen (Netherlands) Donar Groningen

Cooper Neese, Indiana St. Jr. G 6-4 Cloverdale (Ind.) Cloverdale

Braden Norris, Loyola Jr. G 6-0 Hilliard (Ohio) Hilliard Bradley (Oakland)

Roman Penn, Drake Sr. G 6-0 Calumet City (Ill.) Bishop Noll (Siena)

All-Newcomer Team

Tucker DeVries, Drake Fr. G/F 6-7 Waukee (Iowa) Waukee

Cameron Henry, Indiana St. Jr. G 6-6 Chesterfield (Va.) Lloyd C. Bird (Lincoln Memorial)

Kobe King, Valparaiso Sr. G 6-4 La Crosse (Wis) La Crosse Central (Wisconsin)

Chris Knight, Loyola Sr. F 6-7 Madison (Wis.) James Madison Mml. (Dartmouth)

Terry Roberts, Bradley Jr. G 6-3 North Amityville (N.Y.) Florida SouthWestern

All-Freshman Team

Tucker DeVries, Drake Fr. G/F 6-7 Waukee (Iowa) Waukee

Isaac Haney, Missouri St. Fr. G 6-2 Springfield (Mo.) Kickapoo

Connor Hickman, Bradley Fr. G 6-3 Bloomington (Ind.) Bloomington South

Preston Ruedinger, Valpo Fr. G 6-2 Oshkosh (Wis.) Lourdes Academy

Blake Sisley, Evansville Fr. F 6-8 Santa Claus (Ind.) Heritage Hills

All-Defensive Team

Donovan Clay, Missouri St. Jr. G/F 6-8 Alton (Ill.) Alton High (Valparaiso)

Lance Jones, S. Illinois Jr. G 6-1 Evanston (Ill.) Evanston Township

D.J. Wilkins, Drake Sr. G 6-2 Merrillville (Ind.) High (Florida SouthWestern)

Lucas Williamson, Loyola Gr. G 6-4 Chicago (Ill.) Whitney Young

Aher Uguak, Loyola Gr. F 6-7 Edmonton (Alberta) Harry Ainlay (New Mexico)

LARRY BIRD MVC PLAYER OF THE YEAR

AJ Green, UNI

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Terry Roberts, Bradley

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

Tucker DeVries, Drake

DEFENSIVE MVP

Lucas Williamson, Loyola

SIXTH-MAN OF THE YEAR

Bowen Born, UNI