ST LOUIS ? Indiana State senior forward Jay Tunnell continues to collect postseason awards in his final season, as he was named to the 2009 Missouri Valley Conference Most-Improved Team on Wednesday.  On Tuesday, Tunnell was named an All-Missouri Valley Conference Honorable Mention Selection by a panel of voters as well.

The team, which is selected by the league's newspaper beat writers, is comprised of a minimum of five student-athletes (top five vote-getters, plus ties) and features three sophomores and three seniors this year.  Other members of the squad include team captain Kwadzo Ahelegbe on Northern Iowa, Carlton Fay of Southern Illinois, Nate Garner of Evansville, Emmanuel Holloway of Illinois State and Josh Parker of Drake.

Tunnell saved his best season for last for the Sycamores, as he finished with new career highs in minutes (28.5), field goal percentage (.486), three point field goals made (45) and percentage (.412), rebounds (184) and rebounds per game (6.1) and in scoring with 12.2 points per game as a senior.  Those numbers are up from 7.9 points and 4.7 rebounds last season in 22.1 minutes per game as a junior.

The Topeka, Kan., native got on a hot streak late in the season for the Sycamores and helped the team to its 6-1 finish to the year.  In those seven games, Tunnell scored 20 or more points four times and finished in double figures in each contest.  Tunnell started that streak with a career day against Illinois State on Feb. 8, in which he scored a career-high 28 points while grabbing a career-high 12 rebounds.  Most of those points came from beyond the arch, as he connected on a career-high 8-of-9 three point attempts in helping the Sycamores earn a regular season sweep over the Redbirds with a 75-73 overtime victory.

The 6-foot-8 forward currently ranks 12 in the Valley in scoring with 12.2 points per game, eighth in the conference in rebounding with 6.1 per game and sixth overall in three-point percentage at 41.7 percent.

2009 Missouri Valley Conference Most-Improved Team

*Kwadzo Ahelegbe, UNI                    So.     Gd.      6-2    Oakdale (Minn.) Tartan High

Carlton Fay, Southern Illinois                So.     Fwd.     6-8    Granville (Ill.) Putnam County High

Nate Garner, Evansville                       Sr.     Fwd.     6-5    Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Washington High

Emmanuel Holloway, Illinois State        Sr.     Gd.      6-2    Cartersville (Ga.) Woodland High

Josh Parker, Drake                              So.     Gd.      6-0    Harvey (Ill.) Thornton High

Jay Tunnell, Indiana State                     Sr.     Fwd.     6-8    Topeka (Kan.) Topeka West High