OXFORD, OHIO - Miami University's Mike
Ensminger (Cincinnati,
Ohio/Oak Hills HS), the RedHawks' lone returning
men's basketball starter, is
the recipient of the 2000-01 Anson Mount
Scholar-Athlete of the Year,
sponsored by Playboy magazine.
Ensminger carries a
3.80 cumulative grade
point average in political science (pre-law).
Playboy will donate $5,000 this fall to Miami
University's general scholarship
fund in Ensminger's name.
Ensminger, who started 22 of 28 games played in
1999-2000, averaged 5.2
points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Known for his
outstanding defensive play,
rebounding and leadership, he played a key role in
Miamis march to the 2000
MAC Tournament title game. In the RedHawks'
quarterfinal upset of top-seeded
Bowling Green, Ensminger totaled 12 points (5-of-6
field goal shooting) and 7
rebounds in the overtime win.
In a regular-season meeting with Bowling Green, the
2000 MAC regular-season
champion, he tallied a career-high 16 points.
Ensminger also recorded a pair of
double-doubles with 11 points and 10 rebounds vs.
Eastern Michigan and 10
points and a career-high 13 rebounds vs. Marshall.
"This is a terrific and well-deserved honor for Mike
and Miami University,"
said RedHawks' head coach Charlie Coles. "Obviously,
he is an outstanding
student and he has a bright future in front of him.
"It's great to see that he is being recognized, as
well, for his basketball ability.
Im sure that for most of these awards, the winner
probably has a high or
double-digit scoring average. But Mike contributes in
so many ways -- ways
that can't be measured by statistics alone. He is
just as worthy as someone who
scores 15 to 20 points a game."
This past year, Ensminger was named a GTE academic
first-team all-district
selection. He also was named to the MACs all-academic
team for a third
straight year. Ensminger has received Miamis Randy
Gunlock Scholar-Athlete
Award the past three years.
Ensminger is the third straight Mid-American
Conference athlete to earn a
Playboy scholar-athlete award. Last year, Marshall's
Chad Pennington was the
1999 Anson Mount football recipient, while Northern
Illinois' T.J. Lux was the
1999-00 basketball honoree.