FOREST, Va. --- Nationally top-ranked Hampden-Sydney College and second-ranked Randolph-Macon College each saw three players earn all-conference status with one additional special individual honor to highlight to 2023-24 All-ODAC Men's Basketball Awards.

Guilford guard Tyler Dearman collected both Kurt Axe Player of the Year and ODAC Defensive Player of the Year laurels, marking the second time in as many seasons that one player garnered both honors. Randolph-Macon mentor Josh Merkel earned Bob Johnson Coach of the Year recognition from his peers, while Bridgewater College guard Jordan Cooper was tabbed the ODAC Rookie of the Year. Hampden-Sydney floor general Adam Brazil received ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors from the league's athletic communications personnel.

The ODAC's coaches recognize 18 players between the All-ODAC First, Second, and Third Teams. Just eight appear on this year's list after earning a selection in 2023. Four of those repeat honorees are on the 2024 first team. Guilford's Dearman, H-SC forward Davidson Hubbard, and Washington and Lee University forward Robert DiSibio are first team choices for a second time, while the Tigers' Brazil moves up to the first team from last season's second team.

Roanoke College forward Justin Kuthan, a former ODAC Rookie of the Year honoree, repeats on the second. Bridgewater forward Alec Topper, H-SC guard Ryan Clements, and Randolph College guard Danny Bickey garnered third team accolades for a second straight season.

Dearman, a graduate student from Greensboro, N.C., stars on both ends of the floor for Guilford. His defensive prowess was on display in the Quakers first game when he set the ODAC single-season record for steals with 11 swipes at Methodist. He has registered at least one steal in 22-of-25 games played with seven games of three or more including each of his past three outings. He leads the ODAC with 59 total steals. Dearman enters the ODAC Tournament second in the ODAC in points (493) and scoring (19.7 ppg). He is second in free throws made (113) and fourth in free throw shooting (.850; 113-of-133). His 58 three-pointers made are tied for fourth in the league, and he ranks 10th in three-point shooting (.320; 58-of-181) and assists (75). Dearman has scored in double figures in all but one game with 12 games of 20-plus points including two contests of better than 30 points.

Merkel is in the midst of his ninth season at Randolph-Macon and 13th as a collegiate head coach, all at the Division III level. He owns a career-record of 264-84 (.759) overall and 198-43 (.822) entering the conference tournament. This is the sixth time he has earned ODAC top coaching honors, adding the 2024 award to five straight laurels from 2018-22. Merkel has led RMC teams to four straight conference titles with each consistently ranked in the top-five in the country. The 2022 national champions are currently slotted second in the D3hoops.com top-25 before ODAC rival Hampden-Sydney. The Yellow Jackets are 22-3 overall and closed the ODAC regular season atop the league table at 15-1 in conference play.

Cooper, a first-year from Goldsboro, N.C., excelled as a playmaker and perimeter defender in his first season at Bridgewater, starting all 26 games for the Eagles. He finished third in the ODAC in steals (46) and tied for third in assists (91). He was sixth in assists per game (3.5). Cooper scored 354 points at 13.6 per game, good for 10th and 11th in the conference, respectively. He drained 43 three-pointers, which also ranked 11th in the conference. He scored in double figures in 22 games with a season-high 23 points to close January. 

Brazil, a senior from Mooresville, N.C., pairs the scholar-athlete award with an All-ODAC First Team nod, his second all-conference selection. He shines on and off the floor for Hampden-Sydney. In the classroom, Brazil maintains a 3.81 grade point average as an English major. Recognized on multiple H-SC Dean's Lists and All-ODAC Academic Teams, he is a member of Sigma Tau Delta (English) and the Wilson Leadership Fellows Program with a recent invitation to join Omicron Delta Kappa (leadership). He is one of two Tigers basketball players on the College's Honor Courts' Appeals Committee. He received Academic All-District Honors each of the past two seasons.

On the court, Brazil is in his second year as captain of the top-ranked team in Division III. One of the conference's top perimeter shooters, he enters the ODAC Tournament second in the league in three-point shooting (.440; 55-of-125) and sixth in three-pointers made. He is third with 91 assists and tied for third at 3.6 assists per game. He is averaging 13.2 points per game, good for 12th in the conference.

Below is the full set of All-ODAC Men's Basketball Awards.

2023-24 ALL-ODAC MEN'S BASKETBALL AWARDS
Kurt Axe Player of the Year: Tyler Dearman, Gr., G, Guilford
ODAC Defensive Player of the Year: Tyler Dearman, Gr., G, Guilford
Bob Johnson Coach of the Year: Josh Merkel, Randolph-Macon
ODAC Rookie of the Year: Jordan Cooper, Fy., G, Bridgewater
ODAC/Va. Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete: Adam Brazil, Sr., G, Hampden-Sydney
 

ALL-ODAC FIRST TEAM
Tyler Dearman *	Gr.	G	Guilford
Adam Brazil ^	Sr.	G	Hampden-Sydney
Davidson Hubbard *	Sr.	F	Hampden-Sydney
Daniel Mbangue	Sr.	F	Randolph-Macon
Keishawn Pulley, Jr.	So.	G	Randolph-Macon
Robert DiSibio *	Sr.	F	Washington and Lee
ALL-ODAC SECOND TEAM
Jikari Johnson	Jr.	G	Ferrum
Julius Burch	Gr.	F	Guilford
Jabril Robinson	So.	G	Randolph-Macon
Justin Kuthan ^	Sr.	F	Roanoke
Jaylen Williams	Gr.	G	Shenandoah
Jack d'Entremont	Sr.	F	Washington and Lee
ALL-ODAC THIRD TEAM
Aaron Oates	Jr.	F	Bridgewater
Alec Topper +	Sr.	F	Bridgewater
Ryan Clements +	Sr.	G	Hampden-Sydney
Danny Bickey +	Gr.	G	Randolph
Khai Seargeant	So.	G	Virginia Wesleyan
Drew Harrell	Sr.	G	Washington and Lee
* 2023 All-ODAC First Team ^ 2023 All-ODAC Second Team + 2023 All-ODAC Third Team