March 6, 2000

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State senior forward Morris Peterson (Flint, Mich.) was named Big Ten Player of the Year as selected by the league's coaches on Monday. Indiana's A.J. Guyton was the media's choice for Player of the Year. Peterson was a unanimous selection to the coaches' first team and was also selected first team All-Big Ten by the media.

Peterson is the only Big Ten player to rank among the top 10 in scoring (5th, 17.2 ppg), rebounding (4th, 7.4 rpg), field goal percentage (5th, .457) and 3-point field goal percentage (8th, .373) in conference games. Overall, he is second in the conference in three-point shooting at .411%. Peterson also earned first-team all-league honors in 1999, making him the first non-starter to earn all-league honors in a major conference.

Joining Peterson on the first team is senior guard Mateen Cleaves (Flint, Mich.). Cleaves, a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year himself, is a three-time member of the all-conference first team. In conference play, Cleaves averaged 11.5 points and 7.8 assists. Cleaves became the 16th player in conference history to have been named a first-team honoree three-straight years.

The coaches' first-team All-Big Ten was comprised of Peterson, Cleaves, Guyton, Ohio State's Scoonie Penn and Michael Redd and Penn State's Jarrett Stephens who tied for the final spot on the team with Cleaves. The media's first team was the same except that Redd was on the second team.

Junior guard Charlie Bell (Flint, Mich.) was also honored on Monday, earning third-team all-conference honors from both the media and coaches. In Big Ten action, Bell averaged 12.8 points and 4.9 rebounds.

Peterson, Cleaves and Bell played a large role in Michigan State's third-consecutive regular-season championship as the Spartans posted a 13-3 Big Ten record, while sharing the title with Ohio State.

Coaches All-Big Ten
First Team
Morris Peterson (MSU)
Mateen Cleaves (MSU) (tie)
Scoonie Penn (OSU)
Michael Redd (OSU)
A.J. Guyton (IND)
Jarrett Stephens (PSU) (tie)


Second Team
Brian Cardinal (PUR)
Cory Bradford (ILL)
Kirk Haston (IND)
Ken Johnson (OSU)
Joe Crispin (PSU)


Third Team
Charlie Bell (MSU)
George Reese (OSU)
Dean Oliver (IOWA)
Mike Robinson (PUR)
Michael Lewis (IND)


Player Of The Year
Morris Peterson


Freshmen Of The Year
Brian Cook (ILL)
LaVell Blanchard (UM)


Defensive Player Of The Year
Ken Johson (OSU)


Media All-Big Ten
First Team
Morris Peterson (MSU)
Mateen Cleaves (MSU)
Scoonie Penn (OSU)
A.J. Guyton (IND)
Jarrett Stephens (PSU)


Second Team
Michael Redd (OSU)
Brian Cardinal (PUR)
Cory Bradford (ILL)
Kirk Haston (IND)
Joe Crispin (PSU)


Third Team
Charlie Bell (MSU)
Ken Johnson (OSU)
George Reese (OSU)
Mike Robinson (PUR)
LaVell Blanchard (MICH)


Honorable Mention
Dean Oliver (IOWA)
Michael Lewis (IND)


Player Of The Year
A.J. Guyton (IND)


Freshman Of The Year
LaVell Blanchard (UM)


Coach Of The Year
Gene Keady (PUR)