Thomas also receives third-team honors and all-defensive; Frye earns honorable mention

Southland Release
 
FRISCO, Texas – After leading the NCAA Division I in blocked shots, Nicholls State University senior Liam Thomas has been named Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year, the league office announced Monday in conjunction with its 2016-17 men's basketball honors.
 
Thomas also received All-Southland Third Team honors, as well as All-Defensive. Senior forward Ja'Dante' Frye garnered All-Southland honorable mention.
 
A 7-footer hailing from Sydney, Australia, Thomas swatted away an NCAA-best 130 shots, averaging 4.19 blocks per game. He recorded a block in all but one game this season, had nine blocks in three different games and blocked a program record 10 shots at UIW on his way to recording a triple-double.  The 130 blocks were the most for a single season in the Southland Conference since 2012 and is tied for the fifth-most for a season in league history.
 
At Nicholls, Thomas set the single-season blocks record last season with 85 before surpassing his own mark this year. He also became the all-time leaders in blocks as a junior and finishes his career with 293, which ranks third on the Southland's career blocks list.
 
In addition to his shot blocking, Thomas averaged 7.8 points on 60.5 percent shooting and ranked 16th in the SLC in rebounds with 6.4 per game. He had a pair of double-doubles and scored a career-high 18 points in two different games this season.
 
Frye, a native of Thibodaux, earned honorable mention after finishing the regular season ranked ninth in the Southland in scoring at 14.6 points per game. He was also 11th in the SLC with a 77.3 free throw percentage and was second on the team with 6.0 rebounds.
 
Frye was one of just 13 players in the Southland to record a 30-point game this season, as he made a league-high 14 field goals in a 33-point effort to lead Nicholls to a double-overtime victory at Samford. He went on to be named Southland Player of the Week.
 
Nicholls finished the year with a 14-17 overall record and was 7-11 in head coach Richie Riley's first season. The Colonels ended in a tie for eighth place after being projected to finish in 13th in both preseason polls.

2016-17 All-Southland Conference Men's Basketball Teams

First Team	Institution	Pos.	Class	Hometown
Erik Thomas	New Orleans	F	Sr.	Wesley, Chapel, Fla.
Rashawn Thomas3	Texas A&M-CC	F	Sr.	Oklahoma City, Okla.
Jordan Howard 2	Central Arkansas	G	Jr.	Chandler, Ariz.
Colton Weisbrod	Lamar	F	Jr.	Nederland, Texas
Ehab Amin	Texas A&M-CC	G	Jr.	Alexandria, Egypt
Second Team	Institution	Pos.	Class	Hometown
TJ Holyfield	Stephen F. Austin	F	So.	Albuquerque, N.M.
Jalin Hart	UIW	G	Jr.	Houston, Texas
Colter Lasher	Houston Baptist	F	Sr.	Anchorage, Alaska
Josh Ibarra	Houston Baptist	C	Jr.	Angleton, Texas
Reveal Chukwujekwu	Houston Baptist	G/F	Sr.	Houston, Texas
Third Team	Institution	Pos.	Class	Hometown
Marlain Veal	Southeastern La.	G	So.	Gretna, La.
Liam Thomas	Nicholls	C	Sr.	Sydney, Australia
Aurimas Majauskas 2	Sam Houston State	F/C	Sr.	Marijampole, Lithuania
John Dewey III	Sam Houston State	G	So.	Bronx, N.Y.
Jalone Friday	Abilene Christian	C	Fr.	Oklahoma City, Okla.

² indicates two-time all-conference selection
³ indicates three-time all-conference selection
 
Honorable Mention: Derreck Brooks, Central Arkansas; Ja'Dante' Frye, Nicholls; Christavious Gill, New Orleans; Simi Socks, UIW; Sabri Thompson, Northwestern State
 

All-Defensive Team	Institution	Pos.	Class	Hometown
Liam Thomas 2	Nicholls	C	Sr.	Sydney, Australia
Ehab Amin	Texas A&M-CC	G	Jr.	Alexandria, Egypt
Rashawn Thomas2	Texas A&M-CC	F	Sr.	Oklahoma City, Okla.
Paul Baxter	Sam Houston State	G	Sr.	Austin, Texas
Travin Thibodeaux	New Orleans	F	Jr.	Plaquemine, La.

² indicates three-time all-defensive team selection
 
Player of the Year: Erik Thomas, New Orleans
Defensive Player of the Year: Liam Thomas, Nicholls
Freshman of the Year: Jalone Friday, Abilene Christian
Newcomer of the Year: Jalin Hart, UIW
Coach of the Year: Mark Slessinger, New Orleans