Thomas Earns 1st Team All-American Honors; First in School History

Thomas Earns 1st Team All-American Honors; First in School History
Courtesy of Hastings Athletics
April 2nd, 2024 | Hastings Sports Information

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced its three men’s basketball All-America teams Monday, just days after the conclusion of the 86th annual NAIA Men’s Basketball National Championship. Elijah Malone of Grace (Ind.) was named the NAIA Player of the Year after guiding the Lancers to an incredible 34-2 record and a berth to the NAIA Fab Four. Additionally, Drew Stutts of Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) was named the NAIA Coach of the Year after leading the Lions to a come-from-behind win to capture the 2024 NAIA Men’s Basketball Red Banner.

Two teams of 12 players each and a third team of made-up of 19 players comprise the full list. Oklahoma Wesleyan and The Master’s (Calif.) both had two players listed on the second team, the only schools to have more than one player listed on any given team. College of Idaho and Langston (Okla.) both had two selections named to different teams.

Malone is now a two-time NAIA Men’s Basketball All-America selection (2023 Second Team) and was the stalwart in the middle for the Lancers. The LaGrange, Ind., native recorded nine double-doubles and is ranked No. 13 in the nation in total rebounds and seventh on the defensive side. The senior is also ranked No. 1 in the nation in total blocks with 90 on the season and leads his squad with 17.3 points per game.

As a whole, six players moved from honorable mention a season ago to one of the three NAIA All-America teams in 2024. Of that group, Anthony Brown of MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) was the only player to move from honorable mention in 2023 to first team in 2024. Cevin Clark of Southwestern (Kan.) was the lone player to remain a first team selection in 2024 after earning the honor in 2023. Zach Goodline, Jaden Lietzke, Tyler Schmidt, Kaleb Lowery, Michael Hayes and Drew Wyman were also returning All-America selections from a year ago.

FIRST TEAM

TeamNameSchoolPositionClassHometown
1Andrew CookCarroll (Mont.)GJr.Huntington Beach, Calif.
1Samaje MorganCollege of IdahoGSo.Eugene, Ore.
1Jonathan BrownCumberlands (Ky.)GSr.London, England
1Quan LaxFreed-Hardeman (Tenn.)PGR-So.Bolivar, Tenn.
1Elijah Malone &Grace (Ind.)CSr.LaGrange, Ind.
1Reggie ThomasHastings (Neb.)GSo.Omaha, Neb.
1Javan BuchananIndiana WesleyanFSo.Lafayette, Ind
1Vincent MiszkiewiczKeiser (Fla.)FJr.South Elgin, Ill.
1Anthony RoyLangston (Okla.)GJr.Oakland, Calif.
1Kashie NattLSU Alexandria (La.)GJr.Rayville, La.
1Anthony Brown *MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)GSr.Olathe, Kan.
1Cevin Clark ^Southwestern (Kan.)GSr.Arkansas City, Kan.

SECOND TEAM

TeamNameSchoolPositionClassHometown
2Tyshon JudgeFlorida CollegeGJr.Camden, N.J.
2Zach Goodline ^Huntington (Ind.)GGr.Coloma, Mich.
2Ezra McKenna *Mobile (Ala.)FJr.Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
2Alex Van KalsbeekNorthwestern (Iowa)FSo.Sheldon, Iowa
2Jaden Lietzke ^Oklahoma WesleyanFJr.Owasso, Okla.
2DJ Talton JrOklahoma WesleyanGJr.Fort Worth, Texas
2Tyler Schmidt &Olivet Nazarene (Ill.)GSr.Valparaiso, Ind.
2CJ HallSAGU (Texas)GJr.Mansfield, Texas
2Cobie BarnesSt. Mary-of-the-Woods (Ind.)FSr.Floyds Knobs, Ind.
2Milton Matthews *St. Thomas (Fla.)GSr.District Heights, Md.
2Kaleb Lowery ^The Master’s (Calif.)FJr.San Diego, Calif.
2Ty HarperThe Master’s (Calif.)GJr.Norcross, Ga.

THIRD TEAM

TeamNameSchoolPositionClassHometown
3Michael Hayes %Antelope Valley (Calif.)GSr.Tracy, Calif.
3Trent HudgensArizona ChristianGJr.Phoenix, Ariz.
3Drew Lutz *Bethel (Ind.)GSr.Granger, Ind.
3Deshawn CorprewCentral Baptist (Ark.)GSr.Norfolk, Va.
3Drew Wyman &College of IdahoGJr.Great Falls, Mont.
3Collin ParkerColumbia (Mo.)FJr.Montgomery City, Mo.
3Noah Schutte *Concordia (Neb.)FJr.Laurel, Neb.
3Kyran JonesGeorgetown (Ky.)FSr.Bowling Green, Ky.
3Dejon Barney *IU South Bend (Ind.)FSr.South Bend, Ind.
3Jun MurdockKansas WesleyanGSr.Wichita, Kan.
3Toru DeanLangston (Okla.)GSr.Miami, Fla.
3Brandon BeaversLawrence Tech (Mich.)GSr.Columbus, Ohio
3Darren JonesMayville State (N.D.)FJr.San Bernadino, Calif.
3Landon SeamanMenlo (Calif.)CJr.Vacaville, Calif.
3Follie BoganMilligan (Tenn.)GGr.Brookhaven, Miss.
3Asa WilliamsMontana TechFSr.Solon, Ohio
3Jamison GuerraOregon TechGJr.Sherwood, Ore.
3Jamal GibsonSUNO (La.)FFr.New Orleans, La.
3Najee JonesTexas CollegeGJr.Baton Rouge, La.
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