Bay City, MI --- The 2022-23 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference awards were released on Friday afternoon. The Parkside men's basketball had multiple people recognized, highlighted by sophomore guard Rasheed Bello being recognized as the 2023 Player of the Year, and Head Coach Luke Reigel being named the 2023 Coach of the Year.
 
Bello becomes the first Parkside player to win the GLIAC player of the year since the Rangers joined the conference in 2018. The 2022 GLIAC freshman of the year, raised the bar in year two, starting in every game for the Rangers. Bello led the Rangers on both ends of the floor during the regular season. The Chicago native averaged 18.5 points per game on 47.6 percent shooting from the floor during the regular season. Bello also ranked near the top in the league in assists and field goals made. As impressive as Bello has been on the offensive end, he has been equally as impressive on the defensive end. He has 72 steals on the season, which is the most in the GLIAC and third most in all of NCAA Division II as of March 1st. That mark helped Bello to be named to the All-GLIAC defensive team. Bello scored 20 or more points 13 times this season. He netted a career-high 36 points on 15-21 shooting in the win over Grand Valley State on January 5th.
 
Reigel earns the GLIAC Coach of the Year honors after guiding the Rangers to a 21-7 (14-4 GLIAC) record. Reigel and his staff helped lead the Rangers to the outright GLIAC regular season title, after being picked eighth in the GLIAC preseason poll. The Rangers went an impressive 14-2 at home during the regular season and had winning streaks of five or longer twice. Reigel's Rangers were also the top defensive team in the GLIAC this season, holding opponents to just 66.7 points per game.
 
Jamir Simpson earned second-team All-GLIAC honors after averaging 14.7 points per game this season. The Lima, Ohio native shot 46.1 percent from the floor and led the Rangers in rebounding (6.1 RPG). Simpson netted a season-high 28 points on January 16th against Cardinal Stritch. Simpson netted 20 or more points in a game nine times and recorded three double-doubles.
 
Colin O'Rourke was recognized with second-team All-GLIAC honors after averaging 11.4 points per game and 5.2 rebounds per game. The Plainfield, Illinois native shot 57.3 percent from behind the arc in GLIAC games, which was the best in the league. O'Rourke led the rangers in blocks this season with 29. O'Rourke scored 20 or more points for times this season, including a season-high of 22 twice, once against Florida Southern on November 26th and Grand Valley St. on January 28th.
 
Josiah Palmer earns second-team All-GLIAC honors after finishing third on the team with an 11.8 points per game average. The Flossmoor, Illinois native shot 42.7% from the floor and 34.6% from behind the arc. Palmer was second on the team with 66 assists and 34 steals. His 34 steals were the sixth most in the GLIAC this year. Palmer recorded a career-high 25 points on January 26th at Davenport behind a 9-13 shooting performance.
 
Nick Brown was named to the GLIAC All-Defensive team. Brown was a key component in the Rangers' defense that held opponents to under 67 points per game, which was the best in the GLIAC. Brown pulled down 129 rebounds and recorded seven blocks.
 
The GLIAC postseason awards are voted on by the league's ten head coaches. You can keep up with Parkside men's basketball at ParksideRangers.com.