The sixth-ranked Calvin University men's basketball program saw three players named among the postseason award winners announced by the MIAA on Friday.
 
Sophomore center Jalen Overway was named MIAA Most Valuable Player and All-MIAA First Team. Senior guard Uchenne Egekeze was also named All-MIAA First Team, while sophomore forward Owen Varnado was named All-MIAA Second Team.
 
Jalen Overway
 
Overway (Holland, Mich./Holland Christian) was named both MIAA Most Valuable Player and All-MIAA First Team for the second straight season. After being named a Preseason All-American by D3hoops.com, Overway led the MIAA in points (20.1) and rebounds (10.3) per game while shooting 56.6 percent from the field.
 
Named to the Top 50 Watch List for the Bevo Francis Award last week, Overway ranks 21st in NCAA Division III with 13 double-doubles and became the first Calvin player to win the MIAA scoring title since Derrick DeVries in 2019-20 with an average of 21.1 points per game during league play.
 
Last week, Overway became the 29th player in program history to reach the 1,000-career points milestone, including only the fourth player to reach that mark before the end of his sophomore season. He was also named MIAA Player of the Week three times this season.
 
Overway is the seventh Calvin men's basketball player to earn multiple MIAA Most Valuable Player awards, joining a list that also includes Jeremy Veenstra (1974, 75, 76, 77), Dan Davis (1988, 89), Bill Sall (1989, 90), Steve Honderd (1992, 93), Aaron Winkle (1999, 2000) and Jeremy Veenstra (2001, 02).
 
Uchenna Egekeze
 
Egekeze (Huntley, Ill./Huntley) was named All-MIAA First Team for the second consecutive season and earned his third All-MIAA honor of his career (All-MIAA Second Team in 2021-22). This season, Egekeze ranks second on the Knights in points per game (11.6) on 52.6 percent shooting from the field.
 
A two-time MIAA Defensive Player of the Year, Egekeze once again led the Calvin defensive effort this season as he led the Knights in both steals (45) and blocks (36) while frequently guarding the opposing team's top offensive player. With Egekeze leading the defensive charge, the Knights rank 15th in NCAA Division III in opponents' field goal percentage (38.1) and 17th in scoring defense (62.8 points per game allowed).
 
Owen Varnado
 
Varnado (Muskegon, Mich./Western Michigan Christian) made a considerable jump for the Knights in his second season on the way to All-MIAA Second Team honors. The sophomore forward finished the season third on the team in points (10.0) and rebounds (4.7) per game.
 
After coming off the bench in all 27 games as a freshman, Varnado moved into the starting lineup and helped the Knights on both ends of the court. Offensively, Varnado led the team in three-point field goals (41) while shooting 39.4 percent from distance. On the defensive end, his versatility to guard players up and down the line-up proved valuable in helping the Knights lead the MIAA in scoring defense.
 
All three Calvin honorees proved extremely valuable in helping the Knights clinch a share of the program's 33rd MIAA regular season championship with a 22-3 overall record and a 12-2 league mark.
 
The Knights return to action tonight (Friday, February 23) when they play third-seed Hope College in the semifinal round of the MIAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 PM at Trine University.