Orediggers Diekhans, Hiatt, Bake and Okeke gather Frontier Conference postseason awards

HELENA, MT - Montana Tech junior forward Hayden Diekhans was awarded both the Frontier Conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards and head coach Adam Hiatt took home the Frontier Conference Coach of the Year award it was announced Wednesday afternoon.

Joining Diekhans and Hiatt on the honors list were senior guard Keeley Bake and who joined Diekhans on the All-Frontier Conference First Team while senior forward Ifeanyi Okeke was named to the All-Conference Second Team.

This is the second year in a row that Diekhans has won the Defensive Player of the Year award and the third straight Coach of the Year honor for Hiatt.  The pair led the Orediggers to a fourth consecutive Frontier Conference Tournament title on Tuesday to go along with their fourth consecutive regular season title.  The team is awaiting their opponent and location of their opening round NAIA National Tournament game, both of which will be announced Thursday.

Here is a look at this year's Frontier Conference Men's Basketball award winners:

PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Hayden Diekhans, Montana Tech

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR - Kyle Gruhler, Montana-Western

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Hayden Diekhans, Montana Tech

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR - Isaiah Crane, Carroll College

6TH MAN OF THE YEAR - Jacob Ankeny, Montana-Western

COACH OF THE YEAR - Adam Hiatt, Montana Tech

FIRST TEAM ALL CONFERENCE:

Hayden Diekhans - Montana Tech

Jamil Bowles - Providence

Isaiah Crane - Carroll College

Kyle Gruhler - Montana-Western

Jaylon Lee - Rocky Mountain College

Keeley Bake - Montana Tech

Antoine Boyd, Jr. - Providence

SECOND TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE:

Jalyn Stepney - Montana-Western

Ifeanyi Okeke - Montana Tech

Jesse Owens - Rocky Mountain College

Isaac Round - Carroll College

Abi Adedo - Montana-Western

Oman Nesbit - Rocky Mountain College

HONORABLE MENTION ALL-CONFERENCE:

Leon Sayers IV - MSU-Northern

Jack Reardon - MSU-Northern

ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM:

Hayden Diekhans - Montana Tech

Ifeanyi Okeke - Montana Tech

Onwaja Thomas - MSU-Northern

Kevin Bethel - Montana-Western

Jaylon Lee - Rocky Mountain College