CEDAR FALLS - Balance has defined the University of Northern Iowa basketball team's storybook season.

The Missouri Valley Conference co-champions have seven players averaging between 5.4 and 11.9 points per game and eight players logging more than 17 minutes per contest.

When the Valley announced its all-conference awards Tuesday, UNI's balance was on display again.

Headlined by junior Adam Koch, the Panthers had five players recognized on the various teams selected by the league's coaches, media and sports information directors.

Koch, a 6-foot-8 forward, was named to the Valley's first team and finished third in the player of the year voting behind Creighton's Booker Woodfox and Evansville's Shy Ely.

Sophomore point guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe was selected to the MVC's second team and a member of the league's all-defensive team.

Guard Johnny Moran was tabbed to the all-freshman team, while junior Ali Farokhmanesh appeared on the all-newcomer team.

Sophomore Lucas O'Rear was named the league's sixth man of the year - the first Panther to ever earn that award since it started in 1989.

"You have to have a special season to get on one of those teams," head coach Ben Jacobson said.

Jordan Eglseder was the only starter not to receive any recognition, but the junior is coming off a 20-point, 13-rebound performance against Evansville and has four double-doubles in the last three weeks.

"That speaks to the year that we've had," Jacobson said. "We've had different guys do it on different nights. The guys haven't cared who's turn it is.

"For us to have a guy get 20 and 13 and not show up on any of these teams, that speaks to our team."

Koch is averaging 11.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. The Ashwaubenon, Wis., native has reached double figures in 19 games, including four Valley contests of 20 points or more.

"I'm not disrespecting anybody else, but I feel like he's the best player in this league," Ahelegbe said.

Koch's name appeared on 23 of the 36 ballots as one of the league's top three players.

"I think my game has gotten a little better in a lot of areas," he said. "Confidence is one of the things I continue trying to get better. This year, there are so many guys around that can make plays for me and made it easy for me."

Each season, Koch has seen a hike in his scoring production. Jacobson points to his consistency as the biggest improvement.

"Last year, he'd have some big games, but he'd follow them up maybe with a game where he got just a couple baskets and a couple rebounds," Jacobson said. "This year, even when he hasn't scored as much, he's been consistent. He's played great defensively and had great energy."

Ahelegbe, who sat out last season due to shoulder surgery, is the team's second-leading scorer at 11.1 points per game and first in assists at just more than three per game.

Moran is collecting 8.8 points and four rebounds per contest. The 6-1 guard was particularly impressive in the first half of the Valley season, having 20-point games at Drake and Creighton.

Farokhmanesh, a junior college transfer from Kirkwood, has made a team-high 67 3-pointers and is averaging 9.6 points per game.

O'Rear, a sophomore, is contributing 5.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.

"I get a big kick coming off the bench," O'Rear said. "It's a big energy boost. It allows me to see a lot of the game to start, what's there and what's open."

Along with the individual awards, UNI received the inaugural defensive team of the year award - voted on by the league's 10 head coaches.

"To have that come from the other coaches means a lot," Jacobson said. "It's something our program has really worked hard to establish, being that tough, hard-nosed defensive team. It's something our team can be proud of."

Woodfox, the first MVP from Creighton since Kyle Korver in 2003, averaged 15.9 points per game and leads the league in 3-point shooting at 50.9 percent.

"With the exception of three or four games where he was troubled with the foot and ankle injury, he's had just an amazing year," Creighton coach Dana Altman said. "He's really good for our team, a good leader and the most popular guy on our team."

Contact Matt Coss at (319) 291-1468 or matt.coss@wcfcourier.com

Missouri Valley Conference

FIRST TEAM

Booker Woodfox, Creighton, 6-1, sr.; Shy Ely, Evansville, 6-4, sr.; Adam Koch, Northern Iowa, 6-8, jr.; Osiris Eldridge, Illinois State, 6-3, jr.; Theron Wilson, Bradley, 6-5, sr.

SECOND TEAM

Kwadzo Ahelegbe, UNI, 6-2, so.; Jonathan Cox, Drake, 6-8, sr.; Champ Oguchi, Illinois State, 6-6, sr.; Josh Young, Drake, 6-1, jr.; P'Allen Stinnett, Creighton, 6-3, so.

HONORABLE MENTION

Chris Cooks, Missouri State; Jason Holsinger, Evansville; Harry Marshall, Indiana State; Bryan Mullins, Southern Illinois; Jay Tunnell, Indiana State.

All-Newcomer team

Kevin Dillard, Southern Illinois, fr.; Ali Farokhmanesh, UNI, jr.; Clevin Hannah, Wichita State, jr.; Toure' Murry, Wichita State, fr.; Champ Oguchi, Illinois State, sr.

All-Freshman team

Kevin Dillard, Southern Illinois, fr.; Johnny Moran, UNI, fr.; Toure' Murry, Wichita State, fr.; Kyle Weems, Missouri State, fr.; Kaylon Williams, Evansville, fr.

All-Defensive team

Kwadzo Ahelegbe, Northern Iowa, so.; Josh Dotzler, Creighton, sr.; Osiris Eldridge, Illinois State, jr.; Kenny Lawson, Creighton, so.; Bryan Mullins, Southern Illinois, sr; Dinma Odiakosa, Illinois State, jr.; Theron Wilson, Bradley, sr.

MVC PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Woodfox, Creighton

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR - Oguchi, Illinois State

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR - Dillard, Southern Illinois

SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR - Lucas O'Rear, Northern Iowa

DEFENSIVE MVP - Mullins, Southern Illinois

DEFENSIVE TEAM OF THE YEAR - Northern Iowa

Player of the Year voting

Name Team 1st 2nd 3rd Total

Booker Woodfox Creighton 17 13 2 79

Shy Ely Evansville 12 12 7 67

Adam Koch Northern Iowa 5 8 10 41

Osiris Eldridge Illinois State 4 4 6 26

Theron Wilson Bradley 0 2 5 9