KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Southwest Minnesota State University junior guard Ryan Bruggeman was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-Central Region first team the organization announced on Friday.

Bruggeman is one of six individuals named to the first team, which consists of players from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC), the Great American Conference (GAC) and the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA).

A native of Pelican Rapids, Bruggeman is the first SMSU player to garner NABC all-region honors since Ross DeMasi was named first team in 2009. He is the fifth Mustang to be honored by the NABC, but just the third to earn first team accolades. Scott Koenen was named second team in 2000 and first team in 2001, while Jacob Fahl was a second team honoree in 2003.

Bruggeman, who earlier this season was named first team All-NSIC for the second straight season, helped lead SMSU to a 25-9 record this season, which included an NSIC South Division championship for the second straight season. SMSU also finished runner-up in the NSIC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Central Region Tournament for the second straight season before losing in the semifinals on Sunday night.

Bruggeman led SMSU this season in scoring (16.8) and steals (64), while setting the school single-season record in assists (218) and free throws made (171). He finished the season shooting 46 percent (190 for 413) from the field and 85 percent (171 of 201) from the free throw line.

Bruggeman-who has started every game in his career-has scored 1,395 points in his 96-game career, ranking eighth in team history. He holds the school record for assists (510), free throws made (385) and assists average (5.3), while ranking second in steals (156) and third in free throw percentage (84.2).

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