DAYTON -- University of Dayton senior forward Dyshawn Pierre and junior guard Charles Cooke were named co-winners of the White-Allen Most Valuable Player Award Sunday afternoon at the annual UD men's basketball banquet.  The event was held on campus at the Marriott at the University of Dayton.

Pierre, who shared the award last year with Jordan Sibert, is the 17th Dayton player to be named MVP multiple times.

The Whitby, Ont. native is 25th in career scoring (1,385 points) and 14th in career rebounding (813).  He is second on the team in scoring (12.6 points per game), and leads UD this season on the boards (8.5 rebounds a game) and FT% (.845 (60-71). 

As the team's top rebounder, he also won the "Shorty" Sharpenter Memorial Rebounding Trophy for the second straight year.  He is also the 11th multiple winner of the Sharpenter Trophy.  The Sharpenter Award is named for Hall of Famer Ned "Shorty" Sharpenter, and has been sponsored by his family since its inception in 1979. 

Pierre was also the winner of the Alex Schoen Memorial Free Throw Trophy as UD's top free throw shooter.  The Schoen Trophy is named in honor of Alex Schoen, Sr., the captain of UD's first varsity basketball team in 1903-04. Awarded since 1950, it is sponsored by Alex Schoen, Jr.  It goes to the UD player with the highest FT% with a minimum of 1.5 free throws attempted per game played

Cooke leads UD in scoring (15.8), 3-pt. shooting (.411, 53-129) and steals (35) and is second in rebounding (6.0) and blocked shots (34).  The transfer from James Madison has scored 20 or more points 12 times this season.

The Trenton, N.J. native was also named the winner of the Best Defender Award.  First presented in 1994-95, the Best Defender Award is determined by the coaching staff.

The White-Allen Most Valuable Player Trophy is sponsored by Tim White and White-Allen Auto Group, Inc.  The award is selected by members of the team. The White-Allen Trophy has been awarded annually since 1953.  White-Allen now sponsors the MVP award for UD's men's and women's basketball, football and volleyball teams. 

Darrell Davis was named the Chris Daniels Memorial Most Improved Player.  Davis averaged 4.8 points last season and has improved it to 6.3 points a game in 2015-16.  But scoring is only a piece of the puzzle.  Davis is a much more complete player as a sophomore.  He is better on defense, better in the offense and able to get to the rim much better than a year ago when he was just known as a three-point shooter.

The Daniels Award is presented in memory of Flyer center Chris Daniels.  Originated in 1994-95 as the most improved player award, this award was renamed for Daniels following his death in 1996. 

Freshman point guard John Crosby was named the winner of the Dr. George Rau Spirit Award, which is given annually to the player who displays true team spirit, on and off the court.  Crosby played in 28 games this season, backing up Scoochie Smith at point guard.  He averages 2.6 points and 1.1 assists a game in 9.6 minutes of action per game. 

The Harry O'Rourke Insurance Agency sponsors the Rau Award, which began following the long-time Flyer team physician's death in 1972.

Senior forward Bobby Wehrli was presented with the John L. Macbeth Memorial Scholar-Athlete Award for the second straight year.  He is the 16th multiple Macbeth award winner.  The Macbeth Scholar-Athlete Award is presented in memory of Dayton businessman John L. Macbeth, and is sponsored by Mrs. John L. Macbeth and family.  It has been awarded since 1959. 

Freshman forward Ryan Mikesell was named next season's winner of the Uhl Family Endowed Scholarship.  Former Flyers Bill Uhl, Sr. and Bill Uhl, Jr., have endowed a men's basketball scholarship that is given annually to be given to a returning Flyer basketball player.  Originally awarded in 2003, it was the first endowed award of this type in the University of Dayton Athletics Division.  It is given annually to the UD player who best exemplifies the qualities of good sportsmanship and character, and follows the University's creed of "Learn, Lead and Serve" on and off the court. 

Mikesell was presented the Thomas M. Luppe Award, which is awarded to the first-year player on the team who best demonstrates the courage, desire and integrity of former Flyer freshman Tom Luppe.  The Luppe Award honors Thomas M. Luppe, who died in 1963 while playing in a UD freshman game.  Mikesell has played in 21 games this season.  He averages 3.1 points a game, and with 17 assists vs. eight turnovers, has the second-best A/T ratio on the team.

Junior point guard Scoochie Smith was also recipient of the newly endowed James G. and Purcell S. Palmer Men's Basketball Scholarship.  The Palmer Fund provides resources for scholarship and summer school support, with preference for a men's basketball player who best embodies Palmer's characteristics, on and off the court.  The fund will also generate resources for mentorship and life skills programming support, assuring basketball student-athletes academic achievement and a successful adjustment during their college career and professional post-basketball pursuits.


UD finished the regular season co-champions in the Atlantic 10, with a 14-4 conference record.  Dayton enters the post season 24-6 overall, with the 19th-best RPI ranking in the country.  The Flyers earned the No. 1 seed in this week's A-10 tournament.   Dayton will meet either Fordham or Richmond on Friday at 12 noon ET in the quarterfinals of the A-10 tournament, which will be played in Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

 
2015-16 UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON MEN'S BASKETBALL AWARDS

WHITE-ALLEN MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

DYSHAWN PIERRE & CHARLES COOKE

ALEX SCHOEN FREE THROW PERCENTAGE

DYSHAWN PIERRE

JOHN L. MACBETH SCHOLAR-ATHLETE

BOBBY WEHRLI

DR. GEORGE RAU SPIRIT AWARD

JOHN CROSBY

"SHORTY" SHARPENTER TOP REBOUNDER

DYSHAWN PIERRE

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

CHARLES COOKE

CHRIS DANIELS MEMORIAL AWARD

DARRELL DAVIS

UHL FAMILY ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP

RYAN MIKESELL

PALMER MEN'S BASKETBALL SCHOLARSHIP

SCOOCHIE SMITH

THOMAS M. LUPPE MEMORIAL AWARD

RYAN MIKESELL