Monday, April 2, 2018
by Western Oregon Athletic Communications

BALDWIN CITY, Kan. – Leading his team in every major statistical category, Western Oregon senior Tanner Omlid was named a finalist for the Bevo Francis Award.

The awards is given by SCB (Small College Basketball) to the top overall player in NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA Division I, NAIA Division II, USCAA and NCCAA, a group consisting of more than 1,100 colleges and universities.

The GNAC and West Region Player of the Year, Omlid led No. 3-ranked WOU team in points (450), rebounds (215), assists (110), steals (88) and blocks (58). Omlid helped guide WOU to a school record 24-game winning streak while team's 31 wins tied the GNAC record for wins in a single season. He was named the GNAC and D2CCA West Region Player of the Year and earned All-American honors from both the D2CCa and NABC.

Omlid is one of eight Division II players selected as finalists. The other 12 finalists are Lincoln Memorial's Emanuel Terry, West Texas A&M's David Chavlovich, Ferris State's Zach Hankins, Wheeling Jesuit's Haywood Highsmith, Carroll's Ryan Imhoff, Keiser's Deion McClenton, Cabrini's Tyheim Monroe, Western Oregon's Tanner Omlid, Northwest Missouri State's Justin Pitts, St. Thomas Aquinas' Justin Reyes, Springfield's Jake Ross, Shippensburg's Dustin Sleva and Cornerstone's Kyle Steigenga.

This marks the third annual Bevo Francis Award, as the award was previously given to Dominez Burnett of Davenport (Mich.) in 2016 and Justin Pitts of Northwest Missouri State in 2017.

The 2018 Bevo Francis Award winner will be announced on April 2, but for the first time, the award will be presented to the award winner on May 19 at the newly created National Awards Show in conjunction with the SCB Alumni Association's Celebration of the Game event at the Crowne Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri.