2021-22 CoSIDA Academic All-District Teams
When an already decorated player increases his averages across the board, you expect more recognition to come.
That's why it's no surprise to see Hillsdale College junior men's basketball player Patrick Cartier repeat as a CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree for the 2021-22 season, as announced by the Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America on Thursday afternoon.
The junior from Brookfield, Wisconsin was one of just five players selected to represent District 4 at the NCAA Division II level, along with Ferris State senior Dorian Aluyi, McKendree senior Bryson Bultman, Truman State junior Cade McKnight, and Lewis senior Connor Niego.
Cartier is the only player on this year's team to earn repeat honors from the 2020-21 season. That year, on top of earning Academic All-District honors, Cartier was an All-American to both the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the NCAA Division II Conference Commissioners Association, as well as the G-MAC Player of the Year and Male Athlete of the Year, while leading Hillsdale to a G-MAC regular season title and an NCAA Division II Sweet 16 appearance.
Statistically, in 2021-22, the junior has been even better, scoring more points per game (22) and averaging roughly the same amount of rebounds (6.1), as well as an increased number of assists (2.3) and blocks (0.5), while averaging fewer turnovers per game (2.1). While his shooting percentage has dipped slightly, to 64.2% from 65.1% last year, he still ranks ninth in all of NCAA Division II in that stat, as well as 13th in points per game.
Three of Cartier's five 30-plus point games in his career have come this season, and the junior has led the Chargers offensively with consistency despite being the focus of every opposing defense Hillsdale plays, scoring 20 or more points 15 times this season, and continuing a streak of 57 straight games scoring in double-digts entering this Saturday's home contest against Lake Erie.
As Cartier hits the second half of his career, he's beginning to build a legacy in the Charger record books. His 64.5% career field goal percentage is the highest in Hillsdale College history, more than three full percentage points ahead of second place, and his 1,449 career points are 15th all-time at Hillsdale with at least one more full season remaining, with another potential year of eligibility after next season if he chooses to use it. Cartier also recently moved into the top 10 all time in made field goals at Hillsdale, currently sitting in ninth place with 571, and he'll be joining the top 10 list for free throws made shortly as well.
The junior's excellent season has helped the Chargers to a 17-6 record and kept Hillsdale in the hunt in the extremely competitive G-MAC, just one game out of first place with three games remaining. Hillsdale also was third in the initial Midwest Region Ranking and trending toward what would be just the seventh NCAA Tournament berth in program history, and just the second time the Chargers made the tourney in back-to-back seasons.
On top of improvements on the court, Cartier also has grown in the classroom since last season as well, increasing his GPA to 3.43 from the 3.39 he had when he received the Academic All-District distinction last year. A psychology major, Cartier has helped his team earn the NABC Team Academic Excellence Award two seasons in a row, and was named to the NABC Academic Honors Court as well.
As an All-District honoree, Cartier is one of 45 Division II men's basketball players who are under consideration for CoSIDA Academic All-American honors. 15 All-Americans will be chosen from the 45 All-District winners and the selections will be announced on March 15. If selected, Cartier would become the first Charger men's basketball player to receive Academic All-American honors since Kyle Cooper in 2016.
Photo by Anthony Lupi