ABA alum Ben Krikke named to All-MVC Preseason Team

Former ABA (Alberta Basketball Association) provincial team member and Edmonton native Ben Krikke of the Valparaiso University men's basketball team has been named to the Preseason All-MVC (Missouri Valley Conference) First Team, announced on Wednesday (Oct. 19).

Krikke previously received All-MVC First Team status from Blue Ribbon Magazine earlier this month. The senior forward is a two-time MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team selection (2020-21, 2021-22), two-time All-MVC Third Team selection (2020-21, 2021-22), 2020-21 MVC Most-Improved Team selection and 2020-21 CoSIDA Academic All-District Team selection.

A graduate of Jasper Place high school in Edmonton, Krikke led Valpo with 14.2 points per game last season while shooting 53.9 percent from the floor, 84.3 percent from the free-throw line and grabbing 4.5 rebounds per outing. He was one of just three players in the MVC to shoot 50 percent or better from the floor and 80 percent or better from the free-throw line. He finished his junior year with 974 points, 26 away from 1,000. He enters this season with a career field-goal percentage of 53.4, a mark that ranks seventh all-time in Valpo men's basketball history.

Krikke becomes the first Valpo player to achieve First Team Preseason All-MVC status since Valpo joined the MVC. He also becomes the first Valpo player to achieve Preseason All-MVC honors in multiple seasons, following his first selection last year.