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Payne Named Summit League Newcomer of the Year

Courtesy: Southern Utah Athletics
Release: 03/06/2008

CEDAR CITY, Utah, March 6, 2008 – Southern Utah University’s Geoff Payne was named The Summit League’s Newcomer of the year today as results of the league’s post-season balloting was announced. Payne also earned first-team all-Summit League honors and a spot on the league’s all-newcomer team.

Payne joins IUPUI’s George Hill and Oral Roberts’ Robert Jarvis and Yemi Ogunye as players earning individual awards. Hill earned Player of the Year honors, while Jarvis is the league’s Sixth-Man of the Year and Ogunye is its Defensive Player of the Year. ORU’s Scott Sutton was named Coach of the Year for the second time.

The awards were determined by voting conducted among the league’s coaches and media representatives

Payne took home the Newcomer of the Year award after leading the league in offensive rebounds (3.0), ranking second in scoring (21.9), field goal percentage (.611) and steals (1.78) and third in rebounding (7.1). He finished with career highs of 35 points and 15 rebounds at Oral Roberts on Feb. 19, one of his seven double-doubles on the year.