First Wildcat to receive this recognition
MARQUETTE, Mich. – Northern Michigan’s Dylan Kuehl has been named the D2CCA Midwest Region Player of the Year, becoming the first Wildcat in program history to earn the region’s top individual honor.
The graduate senior forward has led Northern Michigan to a 27-6 overall record and a 16-4 mark in the GLIAC, helping the Wildcats capture the conference’s regular-season title and earn the No. 5 seed in the Midwest Region of the NCAA Tournament.
Already recognized as the GLIAC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, Kuehl has been one of the most complete players in Division II this season. He is averaging 21.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while shooting 55.7% from the field.
In conference play, Kuehl’s 23.8 points per game led the GLIAC, while his 58.6% field-goal percentage ranked second, 1.5 blocks per game ranked third, and 6.4 rebounds per game ranked 10th. Nationally, he ranks among the top 15 in Division II in scoring.
He capped the regular season with one of the most dominant performances in program history, scoring a career-high 41 points on 15-20 shooting to clinch the GLIAC regular-season title against Parkside. The effort also included nine rebounds, four assists and three blocks and earned him his third GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week honor of the season.
A four-time All-GLIAC selection, Kuehl has totaled 2,147 career points, ranking second in Northern Michigan program history, and was also named to the Trevor Hudgins Award Top-15 Watch List earlier this season.
Northern Michigan will open the NCAA Tournament as the No. 5 seed in the Midwest Region, facing Rockhurst Hawks men’s basketball in the first round on March 14.
