2011-12 Daktronics NCAA Division II All-Central Region men's basketball team

DENVER — Fort Lewis College's Matt Morris was named to the Daktronics NCAA Division II All-Central Region second team, regional coordinator Andrew Schlichting announced today.

The 6-foot-6 senior center from Durango, Colo., earned the Daktronics honor for the first time in his career. Last month, he became the second men's basketball player in school history to earn Capitol One Academic All-America accolades when he was named to the third team.  He was named to the Academic All-District 7 first team this year, having earned second team Academic All-District 7 honors as a junior in 2010-11.

Morris is also a three-time Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference All-Academic first team performer, the 2010-11 RMAC Academic Player of the Year, a three-time D2 Athletic Directors Association/WeatherPORT Academic Achievement Award winner, and was chosen as the RMAC/Baden Offensive Player of the Week on Jan. 2 and Feb. 6, 2012. He was also named to the RMAC Shootout all-tournament team this past Saturday for his two double-doubles that he recorded during the playoffs.

Just last week, Morris earned All-RMAC honors for the third year in a row, this time as a unanimous first team selection. He previously earned first team honors as a junior and second team All-RMAC West Division as a sophomore.

A four-year starter, Morris leads the RMAC and ranks ninth in the nation in rebounding (10.2 rpg). The only player in the conference to average a double-double this season (15.0 ppg, 10.2 rpg), he also leads the RMAC in defensive rebounds (6.6 rpg) and ranks among conference leaders in offensive rebounds (second, 3.6 rpg), double-doubles (second, 14), field goal shooting (third, .589), scoring (fifth, 15.0 ppg), free throw shooting (25th, .699), and assists (27th, 1.9 apg).

Morris finished his career ranked among FLC's career leaders in rebounds (fifth, 681), free throws (fifth, 307), scoring (13th, 1,177), field goals (14th, 435), and blocked shots (15th, 37).

Ten student-athletes from the Central Region were voted to the all-region first and second teams. James Ellisor, a forward from Bemidji State (Minn.) was named the Central Region Player of the Year.

The team is sponsored by Daktronics, Inc., an acknowledged world leader in scoring, timing, and programmable display systems for virtually every sport at every level of competition. Sports Information Directors from each school in the region nominated and voted for the Daktronics all-region teams.

First team all-region performers are eligible for the Daktronics All-America teams, which will be announced later this month.

Fort Lewis finished the 2011-12 season with a 16-12 overall record, 13-9 in RMAC games and tied for fourth place in the conference. The Skyhawks qualified for the RMAC Shootout and posted a winning record for the 11th straight season.

The Skyhawks lose four seniors to graduation: Morris, Matt Billups, Josh Cassaday, and Louie LaBate.