March 5, 2001
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Audio of Frank Williams with the media Monday afternoon.
Champaign, IL -
After leading Illinois to a Co-Big Ten Championship, sophomore point guard Frank Williams (Peoria, Ill./Manual HS) has been named the Big Ten Player of the Year by both the media and coaches, the conference office announced this morning. Williams has also been named First-Team All-Big Ten by both the media and coaches and was a unanimous selection by the media. Williams becomes the first Illini athlete to be named Player of the Year since Bruce Douglas was the UPI Co-Player of the Year in 1984, and is the first Illinois First-Team All-Big Ten honoree since Kevin Turner in 1998.
On the season Williams leads the Illini in scoring (15.0 points per game), assists (114) and steals (58). His average of 15.7 points in conference games ranks sixth in the league. He also ranks third in steals (1.8 avg.), seventh in assists (3.9 avg.), 11th in free throw percentage (.789), and 15th in field goal percentage (.446) in league play. Williams has been Illinois' leading scorer in 12 games and is averaging 19.4 points per game against Top 25 competition.
"Frank has been the most consistent performer of anybody in our league throughout the conference season, and I think he's very deserving of this award," said Illinois Head Coach Bill Self. "He has scored for us when we've needed him to score, and he has gotten others involved when we haven't needed his points. His defense also has been superb, making him a complete player on both ends of the floor. The Big Ten is such a great league, and with this award Frank also should be a strong contender for national recognition."
Illini sophomore forward Brian Cook (Lincoln, Ill./Lincoln HS) has been named Second-Team All-Big Ten by the media and Third-Team by the coaches. Cook is Illinois' third-leading scorer at 11.4 points per game on 54 percent shooting, while averaging 6.1 rebounds and leading the team with 42 blocks.
Senior center Marcus Griffin (Peoria, Ill./Manual HS) joins Cook on the coaches Third-Team All-Big Ten team, while being named honorable mention by the media. Griffin is Illinois' second-leading scorer, averaging 12.2 points, and is the team's leading rebounder with 6.3 boards per game.
Along with Griffin, junior guard Cory Bradford (Memphis, Tenn./Raleigh Egypt HS) has been named honorable mention All-Big Ten by the media. Bradford is fourth on the team in scoring (9.5 ppg) and leads the Illini with 54 three-point field goals on the season.
Coaches Ballot
First Team
Joe Crispin Penn State
Kirk Haston Indiana
Ken Johnson Ohio State
Jason Richardson Michigan State
Frank Williams Illinois
Second Team
Charlie Bell Michigan State
LaVell Blanchard Michigan
Reggie Evans Iowa
Andre Hutson Michigan State
Jared Jeffries Indiana
Third Team
Roy Boone Wisconsin
Brian Cook Illinois
Marcus Griffin Illinois
Titus Ivory Penn State
Dean Oliver Iowa
Honorable Mention
John Allison Purdue
Brian Brown Ohio State
Gyasi Cline-Heard Penn State
Luke Recker Iowa
Player of the Year
Frank Williams Illinois
Freshman of the Year
Jared Jeffries Indiana
Defensive Player of the Year
Ken Johnson Ohio State
Media Ballot
First Team
Charlie Bell Michigan State
Kirk Haston Indiana *
Ken Johnson Ohio State
Jason Richardson Michigan State
Frank Williams Illinois *
Second Team
LaVell Blanchard Michigan
Brian Cook Illinois
Joe Crispin Penn State
Reggie Evans Iowa
Andre Hutson Michigan State
Third Team
Brian Brown Ohio State
Gyasi Cline-Heard Penn State
Jared Jeffries Indiana
Dean Oliver Iowa
Titus Ivory Penn State
Honorable Mention
Roy Boone Wisconsin
Cory Bradford Illinois
Marcus Griffin Illinois
Mike Kelley Wisconsin
Luke Recker Iowa
Player of the Year
Frank Williams Illinois
Freshman of the Year
Jared Jeffries Indiana
Coach of the Year
Jim O'Brien Ohio State
* = unanimous selection
