Gustavus Adolphus senior men’s basketball player Seth Anderson (Minnesota Lake, Minn.) has been named a finalist for the 2012 Jostens Trophy. The finalists for the prestigious Jostens Trophy were announced on Tuesday, Feb. 28 by members of the Rotary Club of Salem, Va. The club is responsible for the initial review of annual nominations and narrowed the pool to 10 men and 10 women finalists.
Following the MIAC regular season and playoffs, Seth Anderson was the conference’s leading scorer, averaging 21.4 points per game, which also ranks 20th in NCAA Division III. He scored over 30 points six times and surpassed 20 points on 14 occasions, reaching double-figures in every game but one. Starting in all 27 games this season, the senior ranks second on the team in shooting with a .541 field goal percentage (8th in MIAC/77th in NCAA).
An All-Conference performer in 2010-11, Anderson has played in 94 games over his career at Gustavus. The Minnesota Lake, Minn. native has scored 1175 career points, ranking 21st in Gustie basketball history. Anderson is a career .526 shooter from the field, which currently ranks eighth all-time at Gustavus.
To round out the criteria for the award, Anderson is a contributor in the classroom and community. Aspiring to be a teacher and high school basketball coach in the future, Anderson will graduate from Gustavus this spring with a degree in elementary education. He has also volunteered his time alongside his teammates on the men’s basketball team within the St. Peter community through programs such as raking lawns in the fall, painting playground equipment, and planting/picking potatoes through Hands For Harvest Minnesota.
Other men’s finalists include Matt Carr WPI, Felix Friedt of Whitworth, Matt Johnson of the University of Chicago, Spencer Liddic of Muhlenberg, Tim McCrary of Wheaton, Ryan Sharry of Middleburgy, Aaron Van Klaveren of Cal Lutheran, Aris Wurtz of Ripon, and Jordan Zimmer of Illinois Wesleyan.
The Jostens Trophy is a national award created by the Rotary Club of Salem, Va., to honor the most outstanding men’s and women’s Division III basketball players of the year. The award takes into account three vital parts: basketball ability, academic prowess and community service. The trophy models the Rotary International motto of “Service Above Self” by recognizing those who truly fit the ideal of the well-rounded Division III student-athlete. This year’s class marks the 15th year the award has been presented.
The institution of the winner will be notified on Thursday, March 8 and the awards presentation is scheduled for Thursday, March 15 at the Salem Civic Center in conjunction with the Men’s Division III Championship being hosted in Salem, Va., on March 16-17.