GORHAM, Maine  –  Senior Chance Dixon (Lake Worth, Fla./Santaluces). sophomore Tommy Whelan (Bronx, N.Y./Fordham Prep) and freshman Brady Saunders (Brewer, Maine) of the University of Southern Maine Huskies' men's basketball team have each earned a spot on the 2023-2024 Maine Men's Basketball Coaches & Writers Association (MMBCWA) All-State post-season teams.
 
Recently earning a spot on the All-Little East Conference first team, Dixon is earning MMBCWA All-State first team honors for the first time in his career. Dixon led the Huskies in scoring in 2023-24 averaging 17.8 points per game while shoting 45.8 percent (168-for-367) from the field, and 36.2 percent (67-for-185) from three-point range. Becoming the 28^th player in program history to reach 1000 career points, Dixon added 3.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game for the Huskies. Dixon reach the 1000-point career milestone in a 19-point performance to help Southern Maine to a 75-67 win over Plymouth State (January 17).
 
Scoring at least 20 points in 11 games this season, Dixon's 67 three-point field goals in 2023-2024 are tied for eighth in single-season records. A deadly three-point shooter, Dixon has 211 threes in his career and is a career 37.41 percent shooter from beyond the arc. Knocking down 73 threes in 2021-22 (fifth in single-season history), Dixon's 211 are second in Husky career records. Playing in 84 career games, Dixon has 1172 points, 227 rebounds, 151 assists and 86 steals. His 1172 points are 18^th all-time.
 
Earning post-season honors from the MMBCWA for the first time in his career, Whelan was also named to the All-LEC second team. A sophomore guard, Whelan had an outstanding second season for the Huskies averaging 16.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.5 steal per game while shooting a team-leading 54.0 percent (162-for-300) from the field, and 38.71 percent (24-for-62) from three-point range.
Whelan finished the 2023-2024 season with 432 points, 150 rebounds, 61 assists and 38 steals and led the Huskies in blocked shots with 15.
 
The Huskies' 6-1 guard posted three double-doubles during the season, including an 18-point, 10-rebound, six-assist performance in a 70-64 win for the Huskies over UMass Dartmouth (January 11). Whelan set a career-highs with 25 points at WestConn (February 3), 12 rebounds against UMass Boston (January 31), six assists versus UMass Dartmouth (January 11), five steals at Vermont State Castleton (January 13) and four blocked shots against University of New England (November 8).
 
Saunders earned a spot on the MMBCWA All-Rookie Team after a solid first season in Gorham. Finishing his rookie season as the Huskies' fourth-leading scorer averaging 10.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game, Saunders was named the Little East Conference Rookie of the Week three times in 2023-2024, and the MMBCWA Rookie of the Week once.  Scoring in double-digits in 14 games this season, Saunders had a career-high 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting in an 81-59 win over Eastern Connecticut (December 9). Playing and starting in 26 games, Saunders had a career-high seven rebounds at Colby (February 6), a career-best five assists vs. Eastern Connecticut (January 27), and a career-best four steals against University of New England (November 8).
 
Southern Maine finished the 2023-24 season with a 14-12 overall record and a 9-7 mark in Little East Conference action. The Huskies' 14-12 record marking the first back-to-back winning campaigns for the program in more than 30 years.  The Huskies were 15-12 in 1991-1992 and 13-12 in 1992-93.  Under third-year head coach Rob Sanicola, the Huskies finished the 2022-23 season with a record of 16-10.
 
2023-2024 Men's Men's Basketball Coaches & Writers Association All-State Team

Co-Player of the Year	Curt Heinz   Riles Neff	Maine Maritime   Husson
Defensive Player of the Year	Curt Heinz	Maine Maritime
Rookie of the Year	Doug McCalla	UMPI
Coach of the Year	Warren Caruso	Husson
First Team All-State
Chance Dixon	Southern Maine
Curt Heinz	Maine Maritime
John Paul Frazier	Saint Joseph's
Riles Neff	Husson
Max Poulton	Colby
Second Team All-LEC
Dany Harris	UMaine Presque Isle
Jack Lawson	Colby
Adam Lux	University of New England
Jeremy Moronta	Husson
Tommy Whelan	Southern Maine
All-Defensive Team
Afandi Achufusi	Bowdoin
Jordan Anthony	UMaine Farmington
Curt Heinz	Maine Maritime
Simon McCormick	Bates
Adam Torres	University of New England
All-Rookie Team
Marc Begin	Bates
Doug McCalla	UMaine Presque Isle
Andre McCauley	Husson
Brady Saunders	Southern Maine
Remijo Wani	Saint Joseph's

 
 
-cac-