NABC Release (PDF)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Illinois Wesleyan University Men's Basketball Head Coach Ron Rose and senior forward Matthew Leritz (St. Louis, Mo.-St. Louis University HS) highlighted the All-District 8 awards released by the National Association of Basketball Coaches Tuesday afternoon, March 15. Rose was named the District 8 Coach of the Year, while Leritz was recognized as the District 8 Player of the Year.

Rose, who received the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Coach of the Year award, led his alma mater to the program's 12th Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament. Under the leadership of Rose, IWU compiled a 24-6 overall record and won the CCIW Regular Season Championship outright with a 14-2 league mark. The Titans posted their highest win total since the 2013-14 campaign, defeated a then No. 1 ranked Yeshiva squad, Dec. 30, and reeled in countless awards. Rose was also named one of Silver Waves Media's Most Impactful Coaches. 

Leritz, one of four CCIW student-athletes named to the District 8 list, turned in a sensational senior season for the Green and White. The St. Louis, Mo. native was named the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin's Fred Young Player of the Year, a unanimous First Team All-CCIW pick, earned CCIW Player of the Week accolades three times, was voted to the D3hoops.com Team of the Week on three occasions, was recognized as the US Basketball Writers Association's Division III National Player of the Week, and tabbed a Bevo Francis Award Top-50 finalist during the 2021-22 season.

Leritz, who broke the IWU single-game rebounding record with 25 boards at Yeshiva, Dec. 30, averaged 17.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per contest this season. He shot 55.7 percent from the floor and 43.4 percent from three-point range. Leritz scored 535 points during the 2021-22 campaign, a total that ranks 16th in IWU single season history. Additionally, his 286 rebounds rank ninth in Illinois Wesleyan single season laurels and are the most by a Titan since Bill Braksick grabbed 347 (fourth-most) boards during the 1987-88 season.

A full list of the NABC's All-District awardwinners is available here. The organization will release its All-America teams tomorrow, March 15.