March 22, 2004

Branting Named Top Player in Division II

 Also First-Team All-American

            Kearney, NE – North Platte senior forward Nick Branting has been named the 2003-04 Daktronics NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Player of the Year. He received the most votes in balloting conducted among Division II sports information directors from around the country.

            Branting also earned first-team All-American honors. He was the only player from the North Central region to make one of the three All-American teams.

            Already named the RMAC Player of the Year and the CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year (College Division), Branting averaged 22.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals per game this year while shooting 52.4 percent from the field and 84.7 percent from the free throw line.

            Branting finishes his career ranked seventh on the UNK scoring chart (1,765), as well as being third in career blocks (136), seventh in steals (162) and 10^th in rebounds (752).

            He also set school records this year for free throws made and attempted in a single season (205 of 242) with his 737 points the second most by a Loper in a single campaign.

            Branting is just the ninth Loper to be tabbed All-American and only the third in the NCAA Division II era.

            Others on the UNK All-American list include Nick Svehla (2002-03), Eric Strand (1998-99), Bart Kofoed (1987), Jon Bergmeier (1985), Doug Holtmeier (1982), Tim Higgins (1980), Loren Killion (1977) and Tom Kropp (1975).

            Twelve of the 15 All-Americans, including Branting, were seniors. Joining Branting on the first-team are senior forward Elad Inbar of Massachusetts-Lowell, junior forward Josh Buettner of Michigan Tech, junior forward Lewis Muse of Concord (W.V.) and senior guard Ron Christy from Teikyo Post (Conn.).