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2013 Men's Basketball All-OAC and Special Awards

Five members of the Capital University men's basketball team garnered Ohio Athletic Conference honors as the league announced its 2013 All-OAC honorees Thursday, Feb. 21.

Senior forward Spencer Niekamp (St. Henry, Ohio; at right) earned the Dick Reynolds Award as OAC Player of the Year, becoming the fifth in program to receive the honor. Head coach Damon Goodwin was named OAC Coach of the Year for the sixth time in his 19 seasons at the helm.

Senior wing Michael Sommer (Celina, Ohio) was selected second team All-OAC, his second straight all-conference accolade, while senior guards Tim Congrove (Circleville, Ohio) and Mitch Westerheide (Ft. Loramie, Ohio) garnered honorable mention honors.

Niekamp, who also garnered first team All-OAC recognition for the second consecutive year, currently leads the team and ranks in the top 10 in the conference with 15.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. He is also second in the OAC in 3-point shooting percentage at 47.1 percent. Niekamp scored a career-high 28 points against Muskingum on Feb. 13.

In addition to being a first team All-OAC selection last season, Niekamp earned second team NABC All-District and third team D3hoops.com All-Region honors. He was also named honorable mention Academic All-OAC in 2012 and is a two-time All-OAC Tournament selection (2010, 2012).

Sommer (at left), who struggled through an injury early in the season, has been one of the Crusaders' most dynamic scorers this season. He currently ranks second on the team in points per game (12.7) and steals (23), and also grabs 4.3 rebounds per contest and shoots nearly 40 percent from 3-point range. Sommer scored 30-plus points on two occasions this season, including a career-best 36 points against Alma on Nov. 16.

Sommer was named honorable mention All-OAC in 2012.

Congrove currently leads the conference in 3-point shooting, making 50.5 percent (52-of-103) of his attempts. He averages 8.9 points per game and shoots 88.6 percent from the free throw line. Congrove, who transferred into Capital from Walsh University prior to last season, is a first-time all-conference honoree.

Westerheide, who also earns his first all-conference recognition, currently leads the team in assists (97) and is averaging 8.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per affair. Westerheide has a nearly 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio as the team's primary ball handler. He has also proven himself as a defensive force with a team-best 30 steals.

Goodwin earns his second straight OAC Coach of the Year nod and his fifth award in the last seven years after leading Capital to the conference regular season title and the No. 1 seed in the OAC Tournament. The Crusaders have qualified for the NCAA Division III Tournament in four of the last six seasons and have won the league four times in the last seven years.

Capital begins OAC Tournament play tonight against Mount Union at the Capital Center. Tip-off for the semifinal contest is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.