KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The 2012 Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship marks the 75th Anniversary of the longest continuous national basketball tournament in any sport in the country. To commemorate this celebration of basketball, the NAIA has announced the 75 members on the 75th Anniversary All-Star Team. This team is comprised of 60 athletes and 15 coaches.
Members of the All-Star Team have been invited to be a part of the festivities in mid-March at Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City. Attendees will be recognized with a special reception preceding the National Championship final on March 20 and then introduced at halftime of that contest.
A special committee of current and former coaches, tournament staff, dedicated media and long-time supporters was created to help with the selection process. After fans voted on a web site ballot, this committee followed several criteria to select the 75th Anniversary All-Star Team. Criteria included and in no particular order: performance at a national tournament, game statistics, involvement in a national championship-winning team; status on All-Tournament Team and/or Tournament MVP.
The NAIA is proud of its 75-year history and the advancement of character-driven intercollegiate athletics. From the origins in 1937 when Central Missouri State Teacher's College (now University of Central Missouri) won the first title game to the creation of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics in 1952, the NAIA has evolved into a membership-driven association. Icons such as John Wooden, Dr. James Naismith, Emil Liston, Travis Grant and Terry Porter have all been an integral part of our history.
The National Championship will play out March 14 – 20 from downtown Kansas City, Mo. For tickets, call 816.595.8141. The tournament is a single-elimination format with 32 teams playing up to five games in six days for a chance at the prized Naismith trophy. The announcement of the championship bracket will occur on March 7 at 6 p.m. CST and will be posted on NAIA.org.
75th Anniversary All-Star Team – Players (60)
Listed alphabetically
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First Name |
School (Years) |
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Jerry Anderson |
Southwest Missouri State (1952-53-54) |
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Dick Barnett |
Tennessee A&I (1956-57-58-59) |
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John Barnhill |
Tennessee A&I (1956-57-58-59) |
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Zelmo Beaty |
Prairie View A&M (Texas) (1962) |
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DuJuan Brown |
Oklahoma Baptist (2001-02) |
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Nate Brumfield |
Oklahoma Baptist (2009-10) |
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Stacy Butler |
Birmingham-Southern (Ala.) (1990)
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Will Carlton |
Georgetown (Ky.) (1998-1999-2000) |
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Michael Leon (M.L.) Carr |
Guilford (N.C.) (1970-71-72-73) |
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Tony Carr |
Wisconsin-Eau Claire (1979-80-81-82) |
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James Cason |
Birmingham-Southern (Ala.) (1995-96) |
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Mark Chambers |
Oklahoma City (1991-92) |
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Brandon Cole |
John Brown (Ark.) (2005-2006) |
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Gerald Cunningham |
Kentucky State (1974-75-76-77) |
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Nate DeLong |
Wisconsin-River Falls (1947-48-49-50) |
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Edgar Eason |
Fort Hays State (Kan.) (1984-85) |
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Corey Evans |
Life (Ga.) (1999-00) |
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Bevo Francis |
Rio Grande (Ohio) (1952-53-54) |
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Lloyd B. Free |
Guilford (N.C.) (1973-74-75) |
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Joe Fulks |
Murray State (Ky.) (1942-43) |
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Reggie Garrett |
Oklahoma City (1996) |
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Orlando Graham |
Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) (1987-88) |
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Travis Grant |
Kentucky State (1970-71-72) |
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Kameron Gray |
Oklahoma City (2007-08) |
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Charles Hardnett |
Grambling (La.) (1960-61-62) |
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Hal Haskins |
Hamline (Minn.) (1947-48-49-50) |
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Edgar Hinshaw |
Southwestern (Kan.) (1939) |
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Jimmie Hunter |
Life (Ga.) (2000) |
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Philip Hutcheson |
David Lipscomb (Tenn.) (1987-88-89-90) |
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Roger Iverson |
Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) (1957-58-59) |
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Lucious Jackson |
Pan American (Texas) (1962-63-64) |
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Rodney Johns |
Grand Canyon (Ariz.) (1986-87-88) |
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Darryl Jones |
St. Benedict's (Kan.) (1965-66-67-68) |
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Duane Klueh |
Indiana State (1948) |
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Matt Laur |
McKendree (Ill.) (2000-01-02-03) |
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Irvin Leifer |
Eastern Washington (1943-45-46-47) |
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Billy Lewis |
Life (Ga.) (1994-95-96) |
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Vern Mikkelsen |
Hamline (Minn.) (1947-48-49) |
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Earl Monroe |
Winston-Salem State (N.C.) (1965) |
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Zach Moss |
Mountain State (W. Va.) (2003-04) |
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Joe Pace |
Coppin State (Md.) (1975-76) |
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John Pierce |
David Lipscomb (Tenn.) (1991-92-93-94) |
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Terry Porter |
Wisconsin-Stevens Point (1984-85) |
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Willis Reed |
Grambling (La.) (1961-62-63-64) |
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Bill Riegel |
McNeese State (La.) (1956) |
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Dennis Rodman |
Southeastern Oklahoma State (1984-85-86) |
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Nate Rollins |
Fort Hays State (Kan.) (1983-84) |
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Charles Sharp |
Southwest Texas State (1957-58-59-60) |
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Jack Sikma |
Illinois Wesleyan (1975-76-77) |
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Belus Smawley |
Appalachian State (N.C.) (1943) |
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Elmore Smith |
Kentucky State (1970-71) |
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Tony Smith |
Pfeiffer (N.C.) (1991-92) |
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Jim Spivey |
Southeastern Oklahoma State (1954-55-56-57) |
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Gene Stotlar |
Southern Illinois (1946) |
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Benny Swain |
Texas Southern (1955-56-57-58) |
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Al Tucker |
Oklahoma Baptist (1965-66-67) |
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Mel Waits |
Tarkio (Mo.) (1940) |
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Clarence Walker |
West Georgia (1974) |
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Kenneth Wilburn |
Central State (Ohio) (1965) |
