STEPPING STONES

It's been a year of milestones for the Penn State men's basketball program. Actually milestones might not be the best word to describe them. We'll call them stepping stones as Penn State continues to build a program worthy the white and blue jerseys they wear.

Here's a brief list of the accomplishments so far:

• Just the 10th 20-win season in program history
• Finished tied for 4th in the Big Ten (best finish ever)
• Victories over four Top 25 ranked teams
• Wins over two Top 20 ranked teams on the road (first time ever)
• Ten Big Ten wins (second most ever)
• Five road wins overall (most since 2000-01 season)
• Three Big Ten road wins (ties program record)
• 15 home wins on the year (school record)
• 13,425 attendance over final three home games (highest three-game attendance average since 2000-01 season

The Lions weren't done at the end of the regular season either. Monday evening, coach Ed DeChellis was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year by conference media voters. For a man who has had critics calling for his firing at the end of each season since he came to Happy Valley, this has to be a huge weight lifted off his shoulders. Although there were times this season when fans everywhere didn't think DeChellis was qualified to coach middle school girls ball, let alone Division One (CALL A FREAKING TIME OUT!), the award was certainly earned after looking at the list of accomplishments this team has achieved.

DeChellis is just the second Nittany Lion coach ever honored with a Coach of the Year award and the first since his mentor Bruce Parkhill was named the Atlantic-10 Coach of the Year in 1990. For a program that has struggled to pull in blue chip recruits for as long as you and I can remember, adding a coach of the year title to your coaching staff will definitely boost your credentials.

The Lions took a giant step in the right direction last off-season with the hiring of assistant coach Lewis Preston. Preston, who won a National Championship last season as an assistant with the Florida Gators, is a key recruiter for the Lions and known as a post-player developer (something the Lions need). Now, with a head coach with a Big Ten Coach of the Year title and an assistant with a championship ring on his hand, Happy Valley looks a little brighter in the eyes of young recruits.

In addition to DeChellis's award, you know the Big Ten awards couldn't be complete without Talor Battle and Jamelle Cornley. Battle earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from both conference coaches and media. Although this award fell short of the Big Ten Player of the Year aspirations both fans and coaches hoped for, it was certainly a feat as he's only the fifth Nittany Lion ever to hold first-team honors. For a sophomore who led the Big Ten regular season in scoring (17.3 ppg), the praise was certainly earned.

In addition to Battle, Cornley earned second-team selection from the media and third-team honors from the coaches and senior guard Stanley Pringle was an honorable-mention pick from both. Rising big-man Andrew Jones was named Penn State's sportsmanship award winner.

Let's hope the Lions can put these awards to good use as they'll face Big Ten cellar-dweller Indiana in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. The NCAA Tournament is the next stepping stone for the Lions, and they can't get there without a win on Thursday.