Skoff secures NAIA All-America spot on third team

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Capping off a historic season, Joey Skoff was named to the NAIA Men's Basketball All-America Third Team on Monday.

The Omaha native dominated the Great Plains Athletic Conference, leading all scorers with 739 points. Skoff shot 54 percent from the field, 80 percent from the free-throw line, and played more minutes (1,146) than anyone in the league.

"Joe put the work in, and he's receptive," head coach Trent Miller said. "He just loves the game. He's a gym rat. He's a great kid, and he was raised right. He cared more about the team's success than his personal success."

Skoff was named GPAC Player of the Week five times, and led Morningside in free throws made and steals. Midway through the season, he became the Mustangs' all-time leading scorer, finishing with 2,328 career points.

After scoring 701 points during his junior year —nearly matching his first two years combined — Skoff admitted he started eyeing the record last summer. A visit to the Morningside website revealed just how close he was to history.

"Hopefully, we have a lot more good players come through Morningside who can reach that milestone," he said. 

Looking back, what meant the most to Skoff wasn't just the accolades, but the people.

"We have the best NAIA traveling fan base and the best home fan base," he said. "Thanks to Coach Miller for trusting me with the program."