It's common for people involved with the University of Akron men's basketball team to characterize Zips senior forward Enrique Freeman as someone who represents the program in the best possible ways on and off the court.
Now they can use another label to describe Freeman — the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year.
Freeman was selected the MAC POY by the conference's head coaches, none of whom were allowed to vote for their own players. Among the 11 coaches permitted to vote for Freeman , he was a unanimous choice.
The MAC announced Freeman's prestigious honor along with the conference's other awards for men's hoops Wednesday morning.
"I am super grateful," Freeman said. "As much as this is an accolade for myself, it is a nice team award because I wouldn't even be put in a position to be qualified for player of the year if it wasn't for my team and their efforts."
Freeman also made the All-MAC First Team for the second consecutive year and the MAC All-Defensive Team for the fourth consecutive season. Two years ago, he was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Akron went 21-10 overall and 13-5 in the conference during the 2023-24 regular season to earn the second seed in the MAC Tournament . UA will open conference tournament play Thursday afternoon against seventh-seeded Miami (15-16, 9-9).
The Zips are seeking redemption after ending the regular season with back-to-back upset losses to Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan.
Freeman started all 31 regular-season games and averaged 18.1 points, 12.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.5 blocked shots and 0.8 steals. His 28 double-doubles, 397 rebounds and rebounding average rank first in the NCAA. He's the only MAC player to average a double-double this season.
Last week, Freeman was named one of five finalists for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award . Earlier in the season, he was named to the Oscar Robertson Award All-America Watch list and Lou Henson Player of the Year Watch list.
Freeman, who began his Akron career as a walk-on, became the fourth UA men's basketball standout to earn MAC POY. The others are Romeo Travis (2007), Isaiah Johnson (2017) and Loren Cristian Jackson (2020).
"What an honor, right?" Akron coach John Groce said. "Well deserved. I kept referring to him all year as the player of the year in our league and I certainly think he is one of the best players in the country. This is well deserved. I am happy for him and obviously, it is a reflection, I think, of his teammates. He said that earlier to those guys. Obviously, those guys put him in a position to be successful. He understands this is a team game and you don't get these type of awards and honors unless win."
Akron senior guard Ali Ali joined Freeman on the All-MAC First Team. Zips senior guard Greg Tribble joined Freeman on the MAC All-Defensive Team.
Akron Zips men's basketball column: If huge upset doesn't awaken UA before MAC Tournament, nothing will
Here are all of the MAC men's basketball awards:
Coach of the Year: Tony Barbee, Central Michigan
Player of the Year: Enrique Freeman, Senior, Forward, Akron
Co-Defensive Player of the Year: Anthony Pritchard, Junior, Guard, Central Michigan
Co-Defensive Player of the Year: Tyler Cochran, Junior, Guard, Toledo
Freshman of the Year: Javan Simmons, Forward, Toledo
Sixth Man of the Year: JaVaughn Hannah, Sophomore, Guard, Western Michigan
All-MAC First Team
Ali Ali, Senior, Guard, Akron
Enrique Freeman, Senior, Forward, Akron
Marcus Hill, Junior, Guard, Bowling Green
Anthony Pritchard, Junior, Guard, Central Michigan
Ra'Heim Moss, Junior, Guard, Toledo
MAC women's basketball awards: Kent State star Katie Shumate on All-MAC First Team and All-Defensive Team
All-MAC Second Team
Basheer Jihad, Junior, Forward, Ball State
Rashaun Agee, Senior, Forward, Bowling Green
Jaylin Hunter, Senior, Guard, Ohio
Dante Maddox Jr., Junior, Guard, Toledo
Tyler Cochran, Junior, Guard, Toledo
All-MAC Third Team
Brian Taylor, Graduate Student, Guard, Central Michigan
Tyson Acuff, Junior, Guard, Eastern Michigan
Jalen Sullinger, Junior, Guard, Kent State
David Coit, Junior, Guard, Northern Illinois
AJ Clayton, Junior, Forward, Ohio
All-MAC Honorable Mention
Greg Tribble, Senior, Guard, Akron
VonCameron Davis, R-Junior, Forward, Kent State
Anderson Mirambeaux, Senior, Center, Miami
Darweshi Hunter, Graduate Student, Guard, Miami
B. Artis White, R-Junior, Guard, Western Michigan
MAC All-Freshman Team
Arne Osojnik, Guard, Eastern Michigan
Eian Elmer, Wing, Miami
Will Lovings-Watts, Guard, Northern Illinois
Javan Simmons, Forward, Toledo
Sonny Wilson, Guard, Toledo
MAC All-Defensive Team
Greg Tribble, Senior, Guard, Akron
Enrique Freeman, Senior, Forward, Akron
Anthony Pritchard, Junior, Guard, Central Michigan
Tyler Cochran, Junior, Guard, Toledo
Ra'Heim Moss, Junior, Guard, Toledo
MAC men's basketball snubbed by NIT?: Akron's John Groce, Kent State's Rob Senderoff agree changed tournament format not ideal for Mid-American Conference
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron men's basketball star Enrique Freeman named MAC Player of Year
