ALBANY, N.Y. - Redshirt senior center Andrew Sischo (Guilderland, N.Y.) of Daemen College has been named to the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-America First Team. The recognition this afternoon makes Sischo a consensus All-American selection for the second straight season. Earlier today, he was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II All-America Team.
Sischo has once again been the catalyst behind a successful season for the Wildcats. With their star big man producing 26.7 points and 12.8 rebounds per game, Daemen has won 10 of their 15 contests, including last week's East Regional final which has sent the Wildcats to the first Elite Eight appearance of the program's NCAA era. The eighth-seeded Wildcats face top-seeded West Texas A&M in a national quarterfinal game tomorrow in Evansville, Indiana (3:45 PT EDT tip-off).
Sischo, who was named the East Coast Conference Player of the Year for the third straight season, carried the load early in the season while the Wildcats adjusted to a lineup that included four new starters. He scored at least 30 points in four of the first six games, including a 42-point explosion in a February 8 victory over long-time rival Roberts Wesleyan - the second 40-point game of his career. Two days later, he scored 31 points and grabbed a season-high 21 rebounds in a home win over ECC newcomer D'Youville. Sischo has scored at least 20 points in 13 games this season and he's the Division II leader in double-doubles with 12. Sischo also leads the country in rebounding while ranking fourth in scoring.
Sischo was named the Most Outstanding Player of the East Regional after leading Daemen to the first NCAA tournament victories in program history. He shot 11-for-15 from the field and totaled 25 points and 10 rebounds in an 81-69 win over Bloomfield in the regional semifinals on March 14. In the regional finals against nemesis St. Thomas Aquinas, Sischo played the full 40 minutes and put up 25 points on 9-for-14 shooting and grabbed 13 rebounds in a 71-70 win. He scored Daemen's final seven points, helping the Wildcats overcome a 65-60 deficit with under five minutes to play.
The milestones have continued to pile up along the way. In a February 11 loss at Roberts Wesleyan, Sischo became Daemen's all-time leading scorer, surpassing the mark of 1,962 points set by Robert Robinson who ran the Lumsden Gymnasium hardwood from 1988-92. Against Mercy on February 20, Sischo scored the 2,000th point and grabbed the 1,000th rebound of his career, becoming just the second 2,000/1,000 player in ECC history. Already Daemen's all-time leader in made field goals, he grabbed the conference record in a regular season win at St. Thomas Aquinas on February 27.
In 103 games, Sischo has totaled 2,194 points and 1,085 rebounds. His career scoring (21.3) and rebounding (10.5) averages are both program records. Sischo, who has already indicated that he will return next season to utilize an extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic, stands just 53 points shy of becoming the ECC's all-time leading scorer (Justin Reyes, St. Thomas Aquinas, 2,247 points). He's also 18 rebounds shy of the program record held by Hall of Famer Alex Nwora (1,103 rebounds, 1989-93).
Sischo is joined on the D2CCA All-America First Team by junior guard Trevor Hudgins and senior forward Ryan Hawkins of Northwest Missouri State, junior forward Parker Fox of Northern State and junior guard Qua Grant of West Texas A&M. Hudgins was named the D2CCA Ron Lenz National Player of the Year. Sischo and Grant will go head-to-head in tomorrow's national quarterfinal game.
This marks Sischo's third All-American selection from the D2CCA. In addition to his first team selection last season, Sischo was named to the D2CCA All-America Second Team as a sophomore. Including the NABC, he's now earned five All-American selections in his career. He was also an Academic All-American selection for the 2019-20 season by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Daemen College features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 17 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.
Support Daemen College's return to intercollegiate athletic competitions by making a contribution to the Game On Campaign and the Daemen Wildcats Gotta Play Fund. This comprehensive fundraising campaign was established to help offset the loss of valuable external revenue streams that directly support Daemen's 17 varsity teams. To learn more, visit daemenwildcats.com/gameon.
