The forward momentum of the Valparaiso University men's basketball program continued on Wednesday morning as the Missouri Valley Conference announced its all-conference teams and postseason awards. All Wright (Durango, Mexico / Link Year) was named the Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year, while sophomore Cooper Schwieger (Overland Park, Kan. / Blue Valley Southwest [Link Year]) was named to the All-MVC Second Team. Wright was also named to the MVC All-Freshman Team.
 
Valpo has now won back-to-back MVC Freshman of the Year awards in head coach Roger Powell Jr.'s two seasons leading the program, as Schwieger won the award last season. Wright becomes just the fifth Valpo freshman to win a league Newcomer/Freshman of the Year Award, joining Schwieger (2023-24), Lubos Barton (1998-99), Bryce Drew (1994-95) and Lance Barker (1991-92).
 
Valpo becomes the first program to boast the MVC Freshman of the Year in consecutive seasons since Wichita State's Markis McDuffie and Landry Schamet in 2016 and 2017. Since the MVC Freshman of the Year Award began in 1986, this marks just the third time that it went to the same program in back-to-back seasons as the Valpo and Wichita State duos are joined by Southern Illinois' Tony Harvey and Ashraf Amaya in 1989 and 1990.
 
In conference-only games, Wright ranked seventh in the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring average at 16.40 points per game. His overall scoring average of 14.55 points per game ranks 11^th in the league, while his free-throw percentage of .809 is eighth among all Valley players.
 
Wright has scored 451 points this season, the 10^th most by a freshman nationally and fourth-most by a mid-major freshman. On March 2 in the regular-season finale at UIC, Wright surpassed current Valpo coaching staff member Lubos Barton's freshman single-season record of 441 points that had stood since 1998-99.
 
Wright ranks fifth in points by a Missouri Valley Conference freshman since the year 2000 behind Doug McDermott (Creighton, 581, 2010-11), AJ Green (UNI, 509, 2018-19), Tucker DeVries (Drake, 502, 2021-22) and Loyola's Milton Doyle (479, 2013-14). All four of those players were MVC Freshmen of the Year. The rookie standout ranks 11^th in MVC history for points by a freshman. He needs just seven more points to pass Cliff Levingston (Wichita State, 1979-80) for a spot in the top 10.
 
Wright reached 20 points for the seventh time in the last 10 games with 24 in the regular-season finale on March 2 at UIC. He has scored 20+ points 10 times this season, one of just five Missouri Valley Conference players with 10 or more 20-point games, joining a quartet of all-league selections in Drake's Bennett Stirtz, Indiana State's Samage Teel, Evansville's Tayshawn Comer and Southern Illinois' Ali Dibba.
 
In the final month of the regular season, Wright averaged 21.1 points per game, second in the Missouri Valley Conference in that time behind Stirtz, the Larry Bird MVC Player of the Year, at 21.6.  Wright was named the MVC Freshman of the Week seven times this season including each of the final four weeks – Dec. 2, Dec. 16, Jan. 6, Feb. 10, Feb. 17, Feb. 24 and March 3. Wright had over twice as many MVC Freshman of the Week honors as the next closest player. 
 
Wright became the first Valpo freshman to score more than 30 points in a single game in at least 35 years and surpassed the known freshman single-game scoring record with his 32-point output on Feb. 5 at Indiana State. The previous known Valpo freshman record of 30 was shared by Raitis Grafs (Jan. 10, 2000 vs. Belmont) and Alec Peters (twice –Dec. 14, 2013 vs. Loyola Marymount; Nov. 20, 2013 at Evansville).
 
Schwieger became the first Valpo player to be named specifically to the All-MVC Second Team since the school joined the conference. He becomes just the third Valpo player to earn All-MVC First or Second Team honors, joining Javon Freeman-Liberty (2019-20) and Ben Krikke (2022-23), who were both All-MVC First Team choices.
 
In league-only games, Schwieger finished eighth in scoring (16.3 ppg), second in rebounding (7.45 rpg), eighth in field-goal percentage (.498), fourth in free-throw percentage (.860) and second in blocked shots (1.95 bpg). Overall, Schwieger ranks sixth in scoring (15.55 ppg), second in rebounding (7.65), eighth in field-goal percentage (.491), fourth in free-throw percentage (.848), second in blocked shots (1.77 bpg), eighth in offensive rebounds (2.03 per game) and first in defensive rebounds (5.61 per game).
 
Schwieger closed out the regular season with a 33-point, 18-rebound, five-assist game at UIC, becoming the first player nationally to record that stat line in a regulation game since Cleveland State's Norris Cole had 41 points, 20 rebounds and nine assists on Feb. 12, 2011 vs. Youngstown State. That effort helped him garner the MVC Player of the Week award. He was also recognized as an Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, becoming the first Valpo player to win a National Player of the Week honor since Alec Peters in February 2016.
 
Schwieger has been incredibly consistent for the majority of the season, tallying 12 points or more in 22 straight games. His rebounding average of 7.6 per game is Valpo's highest since Alec Peters' 10.1 in 2016-17. He is the only player in the country shooting 84 percent or better at the free-throw line (among qualifiers) and blocking at least one shot per game. Schwieger's current single-season free-throw percentage ranks first in Missouri Valley Conference history among those 6-foot-9 or taller. Ben Krikke's 2021-22 season for Valpo at .843 is second and Larry Bird's 1976-77 season for Indiana State at .840 is third.
 
Schwieger has scored 891 points combined over the last two seasons, second in the Missouri Valley Conference in that time span behind Bradley's Duke Deen (926). He has 405 rebounds over the last two seasons, the second most among MVC players in that time behind UNI's Tytan Anderson (435). Schwieger ranks seventh in program history in points by a sophomore and fourth in program history for total points as a freshman and sophomore, behind only Alec Peters, Javon Freeman-Liberty and Bryce Drew, all of whom went on to play in the NBA. 
 
Schwieger ranks ninth in program history in blocked shots in a single season with 55 and tied for ninth in program history in career blocked shots with 84.
 
Out of the 16 players honored on the All-MVC First, Second and Third Team, Schwieger is one of four underclassmen (freshmen or sophomores) to be recognized. Wednesday's honor continued an award-heavy week for Schwieger, who was also named to the MVC Most-Improved Team on Tuesday.
 
Wright becomes the sixth Valpo player to be named to the MVC All-Freshman Team, joining Schwieger (2023-24), Preston Ruedinger (2021-22), Sheldon Edwards (2020-21), Donovan Clay (2019-20) and Javon Freeman-Liberty (2018-19).
 
2025 All-Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Team
First Team Yr. Pos. Hometown
Tytan Anderson, UNI Sr. F Eldridge, Iowa (North Scott High)
Duke Deen, Bradley 5th G Shreveport, La. (Bossier High / Troy)
Jonathan Pierre, Belmont Sr. F Hallandale, Fla. (Hallandale Magnet/Memphis/Nova Southeastern)
Bennett Stirtz, Drake Jr. G Liberty, Mo. (Liberty High / Northwest Missouri State)
Samage Teel, Indiana State Sr. G Greenville, N.C. (Farmville Central High / Presbyterian)
Chase Walker, Illinois State So. F Columbus, Ohio (St. Charles High)
 
Second Team Yr. Pos. Hometown
Tayshawn Comer, Evansville Jr. G Indianapolis, Ind. (Cathedral High / Eastern Kentucky)
Kennard Davis Jr., S. Illinois So. G St. Louis, Mo. (Vashon High)
Darius Hannah, Bradley 5th F Milwaukee, Wis. (Academy of Science High)
Johnny Kinziger, Illinois State So. G De Pere, Wis. (De Pere High)
Cooper Schwieger, Valparaiso So. F Overland Park, Kan. (Blue Valley Southwest / Link Year)
 
Third Team Yr. Pos. Hometown
Trey Campbell, UNI Jr. G Jr. Cedar Falls, Iowa (Cedar Falls High)
Ali Dibba, Southern Illinois Sr. G Stockholm, Sweden (Central Pointe Acad. / Abilene Christian)
Mitch Mascari, Drake Gr. G Geneva, Ill. (Geneva High / Northwest Missouri State)
Zek Montgomery, Bradley Sr. G Louisville, Ky. (St. Louis Christian Acad. / Rhode Island)
Carter Whitt, Belmont Gr. G Raleigh, N.C. (Leesville Road High / Furman /Wake Forest)
 
All-Newcomer Team Yr. Pos. Hometown
Tayshawn Comer, Evansville Jr. G Indianapolis, Ind. (Cathedral High / Eastern Kentucky)
Jonathan Pierre, Belmont Sr. F Hallandale, Fla. (Hallandale Magnet/Memphis/Nova Southeastern)
Bennett Stirtz, Drake Jr. G Liberty, Mo. (Liberty High / Northwest Missouri State)
Samage Teel, Indiana State Sr. G Greenville, N.C. (Farmville Central High / Presbyterian)
Carter Whitt, Belmont Gr. G Raleigh, N.C. (Leesville Road High / Furman /Wake Forest)
 
All-Freshman Team Pos. Hometown
Jack Daugherty, Illinois State F Brookfield, Wis. (Brookfield Central High)
Jaquan Johnson, Bradley G Milwaukee, Wis. (Pius XI High)
Sam Orme, Belmont F Carmel, Ind. (Carmel High)
Gabriel Pozzato, Evansville F Italy (NBA Global Academy)
All Wright, Valparaiso G Durango, Mexico (Link Year)
 
All-Defensive Team Yr. Pos. Hometown
Daniel Abreu, Drake Gr. F Springfield, Mo. (Willard High / Northwest Missouri State)
Tytan Anderson, UNI Sr. F Eldridge, Iowa (North Scott High)
Dalton Banks, Illinois State Gr. G Eau Claire, Wis. (Eau Claire North / Southern Illinois)
Darius Hannah, Bradley 5th F Milwaukee, Wis. (Academy of Science High)
Connor Turnbull, Evansville Jr. F St. Paul, Mo. (Fort Zumwalt North / Butler)
 
All-Bench Team (selected by beat writers & panel)
*Tavion Banks, Drake Jr. G/F Kansas City, Mo. (Minnesota Prep / NW Florida State College)
Jack Daugherty, Illinois State Fr. F Brookfield, Wis. (Brookfield Central High)
Jaden Daughtry, Indiana State So. F Richmond, Va. (Hargrave Military Academy)
Jaquan Johnson, Bradley Fr. G Milwaukee, Wis. (Pius XI High)
Modestas Kancleris, UIC R-Sr. F Kaunas, Lithuania (Varpas Gimnazija/CS-Bakersfield/Creighton)
Brody Peebles, Belmont Gr. G Hartselle, Ala. (Hartselle High / Liberty)
 
Most-Improved Team (selected by beat writers & panel)
*Chase Walker, Illinois State So. F Columbus, Ohio (St. Charles High)
Jaden Daughtry, Indiana State So. F Richmond, Va. (Hargrave Military Academy)
Kennard Davis Jr., S. Illinois So. G St. Louis, Mo. (Vashon High)
Cam Haffner, Evansville Jr. G Westfield, Ind. (Eastern Illinois)
Cooper Schwieger, Valparaiso So. F Overland Park, Kan. (Blue Valley Southwest / Link Year)
Isaiah Walker, Belmont Jr. G Wyoming, Ohio (Wyoming High)
*denotes team "captain" as designated by the league's beat writers and media panel
 
Major Awards
LARRY BIRD PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Bennett Stirtz, Drake
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Bennett Stirtz, Drake
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
All Wright, Valparaiso
DEFENSIVE MVP
Connor Turnbull, Evansville
SIXTH-MAN OF THE YEAR
Tavion Banks
 
MVC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Tytan Anderson, UNI
MOST IMPROVED TEAM CAPTAIN
Chase Walker, Illinois State
MVC COACH OF THE YEAR
Ben McCollum, Drake
ELITE 18 AWARD
TBD
 
MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team
Tytan Anderson, UNI
Johnny Kinziger, Illinois State
Tyler Lundblade, Belmont
Mitch Mascari, Drake
Filip Skobalj, UIC
 
MVC Scholar-Athlete Second Team
Cam Manyawu, Drake
Kyle Pock, UNI
Kaspar Sepp, Valparaiso
Samage Teel, Indiana State
Isaiah Walker, Belmont
 
MVC Scholar-Athlete Third Team
Dalton Banks, Illinois State
Connor Dillon, Bradley
Can Haffner, Evansville
Chase Martin, Missouri State
Landon Wolf, Illinois State