April 14, 2016
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IOWA CITY, Iowa — Seniors Anthony Clemmons, Mike Gesell, Jarrod Uthoff, and Adam Woodbury have been named co-recipients of the Chris Street Award for the 2015-16 Iowa men’s basketball season. The Hawkeye seniors received the award Thursday evening at the team’s banquet.
The Chris Street Award is presented annually to a Hawkeye player, or players, who best exemplify the spirit, enthusiasm and intensity of Chris Street. Street was an Iowa basketball player who died in an auto accident in 1993, midway through his junior year. This marks the fourth time there have been multiple winners and the first time four players share the prestigious honor.
Uthoff became Iowa’s fifth consensus All-American and first since Chuck Darling in 1952. The native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, ranked second in the Big Ten in scoring (18.9 ppg), first in blocked shots (2.6 bpg), and tied for 13th in rebounding (6.3 rpg). The forward finished his collegiate career 19th in Iowa career scoring (1,298) and fourth in blocked shots (177). Uthoff scored in double figures in all but one game this season, including netting 20 or more points a team-best 16 times.
Uthoff (6-foot-9, 221 pounds) became Iowa’s 26th first-team All-Big Ten honoree and first unanimous choice since Andre Woolridge in 1997. Uthoff was finalist a for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, John Wooden Award, and Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year. He also earned recognition on the NABC and USBWA all-district teams, as well as recognition on a number of All-America teams (Associated Press, NABC, USBWA, USA Today, and Scout.com).
Uthoff’s 624 points this season ranks eighth-most in Iowa single-season annals. The team co-captain is one of three Hawkeyes in program history to amass 1,000 points and 150 blocks in a career (Acie Earl and Greg Stokes). He was the only player from a major conference to total more than 600 points, 200 rebounds, and 85 blocked shots. Uthoff is the second player nationally in the last 20 years to average two blocks and two 3-pointers per game (Duke’s Shane Battier in 1999-00 and 2000-01).
Gesell (6-foot-2, 190 pounds) broke the school’s single-season record in assists with 205 and finished his Hawkeye career fourth in all-time assists with 557. Gesell was an honorable mention all-conference selection and was named Iowa men’s basketball’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree for the fourth straight season. The point guard is one of only three Hawkeyes to ever accumulate 1,000 points, 550 assists, 300 rebounds, and 150 steals in a career (Jeff Horner and Dean Oliver). He ranked 15th nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.15) and 18th in assists per game (6.1). Gesell became the first Hawkeye since Woolridge in 1997 to average six or more assists per game in a single-season. His 3.15 assist-to-turnover ratio was the best by a Hawkeye the last 20 years. Gesell finished his career with 1,072 points, which ties for 28th in school history.
Clemmons (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) started every game this past season, ranking second on the team in assists (121), and third in scoring (8.9) and steals (32). The guard posted single-season bests in every statistical category (scoring, steals, assists, rebounding, 3-pointers, and free throws) in 2016. He ranked 70th in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio. Clemmons saw action in 137 career games, which ties for the third-most in school history.
Woodbury (7-foot-1, 250 pounds) is only the fourth Hawkeye over the last 23 seasons to average at least 7.6 points and 8.3 rebounds. His 8.3 rebounding average tied for first in the league and ranked 95th in the country. The native of Sioux City, Iowa, totaled more than 850 points, 750 rebounds, 100 assists, 50 blocked shots, and 50 steals. Woodbury had seven double-doubles this past year, a total that ranked eighth among Big Ten players. He played in 138 consecutive games, a total that ranks second best in Iowa annals, during his four-year career.
In addition to the Chris Street Award, Woodbury was honored with the team’s Best Rebounder Award. An honorable mention all-conference honoree, Woodbury led the team in rebounding a team-best 19 times. He became the first Hawkeye since Reggie Evans in 2002 to average 10 rebounds during conference competition. Woodbury controlled double-digit rebounds in 11 of the final 16 games of the season.
Gesell was named the team’s Top Playmaker for the third consecutive season (shared award with Devyn Marble in 2014). He ranked first on the team in steals with 44 and was fourth in scoring averaging at 8.1 points per game. His 160 steals in four years rank ninth-best in Iowa history. Gesell became the first Hawkeye to be credited with 10 or more assists in five games in the same season. Gesell posted single-season bests in rebounding, steals, assists, and 3-point accuracy in 2016.
Gesell also was honored with the team’s Academic Award for the fourth straight season; he shared the honor this season with Uthoff. Gesell, who graduated in three years with a degree in finance, was voted first-team Academic All-District and earned All-America second team laurels. The native of South Sioux City, Nebraska, is only the second Hawkeye (Adam Haluska) to earn multiple Academic All-America accolades — he was voted to the third team a year ago. Uthoff graduated with a degree in economics in May, 2015, and was voted first-team Academic All-District and All-America. Uthoff was named the Division I Men’s Basketball Academic All-American of the Year. The native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is the first Iowa men’s basketball player to be an Academic and consensus All-American.
Clemmons and Uthoff shared the team’s Defensive Player Award. Clemmons finished his career with 88 steals, which includes a single-season best 32 as a senior. The native of Lansing, Michigan, routinely held players he guarded below their scoring average. Uthoff became the first Hawkeye in 10 years to lead the Big Ten in blocked shots (2.6). Uthoff, who was one of five players chosen by the conference coaches to the All-Big Ten Defensive Team, ranked 12th in the nation in blocked shots.
Other Hawkeyes recognized at the banquet included Nicholas Baer, Peter Jok and Okey Ukah.
Jok (6-foot-6, 205 pounds) received the team’s Most Improved Award. After averaging seven points per game a season ago, Jok surged 9.1 points his junior season, averaging 16.1 points contest. The 9.1 improvement was tops among Big Ten players. The Hawkeye guard ranked second on the team and eighth in the league in scoring (16.1). Jok earned second team All-Big Ten accolades, while also being named to the NABC All-District Second Team and the USBWA All-District VI Team. His 80 triples were first on the team and ranked sixth in Iowa single-season history. He also was second on the team this past season in steals, averaging 1.25 per contest. Jok scored in double figures 26 times, including tallying 20 points or more 11 times.
Baer (6-foot-7, 200 pounds) earned the team’s Newcomer of the Year Award. The native of Bettendorf, Iowa, played in all 33 games for the Hawkeyes as a redshirt freshman. Baer scored in double figures five times, including netting 15 points against national champion Villanova in the NCAA Tournament. The forward averaged 4.8 points and 2.6 rebounds, and ranked second on the team in blocked shots (19). Baer earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week laurels on Dec. 21, after registering 13 points, seven rebounds, and rejecting a Wells Fargo Arena record six shots in Iowa’s win over in-state rival Drake. Baer was a preferred walk-on his first two years and earned a scholarship after the season for his remaining three years of eligibility.
Ukah (6-foot-7, 220 pounds) completed his third season with the Hawkeyes. The Iowa City, Iowa, native helped the team in a variety of ways as a Hawkeye. He played in 27 career games and provided energy and enthusiasm every practice and game.
2016 IOWA MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM AWARDS
CHRIS STREET AWARD: Anthony Clemmons, Mike Gesell, Jarrod Uthoff, Adam Woodbury
TOP PLAYMAKER: Mike Gesell
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Nicholas Baer
DEFENSIVE PLAYER AWARD: Anthony Clemmons and Jarrod Uthoff
MOST IMPROVED: Peter Jok
BEST REBOUNDER: Adam Woodbury
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARD: Mike Gesell and Jarrod Uthoff
APPRECIATION AWARD: Okey Ukah