The following is a press release courtesy of Iowa State athletics communications.
AMES, Iowa – Iowa State All-American men’s basketball player Melvin Ejim’s season started with a bang, scoring 22 points in 28 minutes in an upset win over No. 7 Michigan in November. His career was punctuated today when he was named ISU’s Male Athlete of the Year for 2013-14.
Ejim, an All-American by five organizations, was the Big 12’s Player and Scholar-Athlete of the Year after helping the Cyclones to a 28-8 record, a Big 12 Tournament championship and an appearance in the Sweet 16.
His accomplishments on the court make him the first men’s basketball player to earn the award since Jake Sullivan shared it with wrestling’s Zach Roberson in 2004.
Ejim missed the first two games of the season after suffering a hyperextended knee in practice. He returned for Iowa State’s highly-anticipated, nationally-televised showdown with the Wolverines. The Toronto, Ontario native entered the game to a standing ovation with 16:17 left in the first half. The rest is history.
Ejim went on to put together one of the best seasons in school history. He finished third in the Big 12 in scoring (17.8) and tied for second in rebounding (8.4). He joined teammate DeAndre Kane as the only players in the Big 12 ranked in the top-10 of the Big 12 in scoring and rebounding.
Ejim tallied 20 or more points in 13 games, with his season being highlighted by a 48-point, 18-rebound effort against TCU. His 48 points were a Big 12 single-game record. Ejim was 20-of-24 from the field in the game, tying or breaking nine Big 12 records against the Horned Frogs.
It was a performance for the ages. So was his entire season.
Iowa State Male Athlete of the Year Winners
1947 Ron Norman Basketball
1948 Glen Brand Wrestling
1949 Bob Peterson Basketball
1950 Bill Weeks Football
1951 Jim Doran Football
1952 Mal Schmidt Football & Swimming
1953 Jack Erickson Football & Wrestling
1954 Max Burkett Football
1955 Chuck Duncan Basketball
1956 Gary Thompson Baseball & Basketball
1957 Gary Thompson Baseball & Basketball
1958 Frank Powell Football & Wrestling
1959 Ron Gray Wrestling
1960 Dwight Nichols Football
1961 Tom Watkins Football
1962 Dave Hoppman Football
1963 Marv Straw Basketball
1964 Gordon Hassman Wrestling
1965 Tom Vaughn Football
1966 Tom Peckham Wrestling
1967 Don Smith Basketball
1968 Don Smith Basketball
1969 Dan Gable Wrestling
1970 Dan Gable Wrestling
1971 Otto Stowe Football
1972 George Amundson Football
1973 Chris Taylor Wrestling
1974 Doug Fitzjarrell Gymnastics
1975 Al Nacin Wrestling
1976 Pete Galea Wrestling
1977 Wayne Stanley Football
1978 Mark Trippel Gymnastics
1979 Mike Land Wrestling
1980 Mike Schwartz Football
1981 Ron Galimore Gymnastics
1982 John Quinn Football
1983 Nate Carr Wrestling
1984 Bob Verbeeck Track & Field
1985 Barry Stevens Basketball
1986 Mark Diab Gymnastics
1987 Stewart Carter Wrestling
1988 Eric Hansen Swimming
Jeff Grayer Basketball
1989 Tim Krieger Wrestling
1990 Mike Busch Baseball & Football
1991 John Nuttall Cross Country and Track & Field
1992 Obinna Eregbu Track & Field
1993 Jonah Koech Track & Field
1994 Eric Akin Wrestling
1995 Fred Hoiberg Basketball
1996 Dmitry Drozdov Track & Field and Cross Country
1997 Chris Bono Wrestling
1998 Dwight Hinson Wrestling
1999 Cael Sanderson Wrestling
2000 Marcus Fizer Basketball
2001 Jamaal Tinsley Basketball
Cael Sanderson Wrestling
2002 Cael Sanderson Wrestling
2003 Seneca Wallace Football
2004 Zach Roberson Wrestling
Jake Sullivan Basketball
2005 Ellis Hobbs Football
2006 Nate Gallick Wrestling
2007 Trent Paulson Wrestling
2008 Chris Baker Golf
2009 Jake Varner Wrestling
2010 Jake Varner Wrestling
2011 Jon Reader Wrestling
2012 Nate McCoy Golf
2013 Scott Fernandez Golf
2014 Melvin Ejim Basketball
