Red Wolves - IU East

Indiana University East junior basketball player Marcus Isaac (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North High School) is the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Male Athlete of the Year for the 2011-12 school year, the league announced May 18.

The award was determined by a vote of KIAC athletic directors.

Isaac is the first Red Wolf to win the KIAC Athlete of the Year honor.

Isaac also became IU East's first KIAC Men's Basketball Player of the Year and the school's first first-team NAIA All-American in any sport this year.

"It's an honor. There are a lot of great athletes in this conference, so it is definitely an honor," Isaac said. "The one thing I want to emphasize is to thank my teammates for backing me this whole year. I give credit to them when (awards) come my way."

Isaac was one of the most efficient shooters in NAIA Division II men's basketball this past season. He finished the season among the national leaders in points per game (23rd with 19.0), free throw percentage (second at .894), 3-point field goal percentage (sixth at .467) and overall field goal percentage (31st at .543).

Isaac helped IU East to a 24-8 record and a return trip to the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Championship. The Red Wolves set an NAIA school record for wins in a season.

"This is a big deal," said IU East athletic director and basketball coach Mark Hester. "An award like this doesn't come along too often. With every athlete in the conference eligible (about 600), to win this is like holding a winning lottery ticket."