FOREST, Va. --- Three of the conference's major awards feature identical individuals from a season ago in the ODAC's announcement of the 2019-20 All-ODAC Men's Basketball awards on Wednesday afternoon. Randolph-Macon College guard Buzz Anthony and Yellow Jackets mentor Josh Merkel repeat as the Kurt Axe Player of the Year and Bob Johnson Coach of the Year, respectively. This is the third season for Merkel as the league's top coach, while Anthony doubles as the ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Washington and Lee University forward Curtis Mitchell earned ODAC Defensive Player of the Year recognition for a second straight season. R-MC forward Miles Mallory was tabbed the ODAC Rookie of the Year.

Five players earned All-ODAC status for a second straight season, including four on this year's All-ODAC First Team. Anthony and Virginia Wesleyan University guard Daniel Spencer repeat as first team choices. Spencer picked his up last season as a member of Emory & Henry College's squad. Fellow VWU teammate Tim Fisher moved up to the first team from the 2019 All-ODAC Third Team. Guilford College forward Kyler Gregory joins the first team following an All-ODAC Second Team assignment last year.

University of Lynchburg guard Tharon Suggs caps this season's returning all-conference contingent. A third teamer this year, Suggs was a second team pick while playing for E&H last season.

RELATED: 2019 All-ODAC Awards | All-Time All-Conference

Anthony, a junior from Arnold, Md., features an all-around outstanding skillset as the motor behind the nation's second-ranked program by D3hoops.com. He is currently seventh in the ODAC in scoring (15.5) while averaging 5.8 boards per game. He leads the league in assists (152), steals (57), and free throw shooting (91.2%). He is second in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.0), sixth in points scored (388), and seventh in three-point shooting (40.9% at 45-of-110) and free throws made (83-of-91). Anthony has scored in double figures in 19-of-25 games played. He collected two triple doubles on the season -- both 16-point, 11-rebound, 10-assist efforts against Lebanon Valley and Mary Washington.

In the classroom, Anthony maintains a 3.48 grade point average as a mathematics major with a minor in communication studies. The President of R-MC's SAAC is a three-time member of the Randolph-Macon Dean's List and has been named to both eligible All-ODAC Academic Teams. He is a CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree. Anthony is a volunteer for the Buddy System at local Gandy Elementary School, and volunteers as a coach instructing local youth on ball-handling and shooting each of the past two years.

Merkel is in his ninth season as a collegiate head coach and fifth year guiding the Yellow Jackets program. This is his third straight ODAC top coaching honor and fourth conference coach of the year award after earning the same distinction from the Capital Athletic Conference in 2015 when he led his alma mater, Salisbury University, to its first 20-win season since 1997. Randolph-Macon is currently the second-ranked team in the country by D3hoops.com. They are the #1 seed in the ODAC Tournament following a second straight 15-1 march thru their league schedule. Merkel owns a 164-78 (.678) overall record including a 98-37 (.726) mark at R-MC.

Mitchell, a junior from Chevy Chase, Md., has earned both of the first two ODAC Defensive Player of the Year honors awarded by the ODAC's men's basketball coaches. Mitchell is second in the ODAC in blocked shots (66) and first in all rebounding categories -- per game (10.0), offensive (84), defensive (167), total (251). He has also come away with 19 steals. He blocked three or more shots in a game 15 times during the regular season. He has collected five double-doubles and enters the tournament averaging 10.4 points per game.

Mallory, a freshman from Beltsville, Md., stepped right into Randolph-Macon's starting lineup for all 25 regular season games. He is currently averaging 11.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, the latter ranking eighth in the conference. He leads the ODAC in blocked shots (71) and registered 28 steals. he is third in field goal shooting (55.3%), sixth in defensive (131) and total (197) rebounds, and eighth in field goals made (135-of-244). Mallory scored in double figures in 18 games and collected five double-doubles.

Listed below is the complete set of 2020 All-ODAC Men's Basketball Teams. For more information, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com. Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow @odacathletics on Twitter and Instagram.

2020 ALL-ODAC MEN'S BASKETBALL AWARDS
Kurt Axe Memorial Player of the Year: Buzz Anthony, So., G, Randolph-Macon
Defensive Player of the Year: Curtis Mitchell, Jr., F, Washington and Lee
Bob Johnson Coach of the Year: Josh Merkel, Randolph-Macon
ODAC Rookie of the Year: Miles Mallory, Fr., F, Randolph-Macon
ODAC/Va. Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete: Buzz Anthony, Jr., G, Randolph-Macon