SPRINGFIELD -- Junior Tulio Da Silva (F, Formiga, Brazil) and senior Jarred Dixon (G, Kansas City, Mo.) were the top award recipients Monday (April 29) at the annual Missouri State University men's basketball awards banquet, held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Springfield.

Da Silva was presented with the Coors Player of the Year Award, while Dixon was selected as this year's Guy Thompson Award recipient.
 
The Coors Player of the Year Award is sponsored by Heart of America Beverage and carries with it a $1,500 scholarship to the Missouri State general scholarship fund in the name of the winner. Coors is also the title sponsor of the MSU Player of the Week honors. The weekly and yearly awards are selected by a panel of Missouri State media representatives.
 
Da Silva earned MVC Newcomer of the Year and All-MVC first-team honors in his first season in Springfield while also being named to the NABC All-District Team. He also finished fourth in the MVC Larry Bird Player of the Year Award voting.
 
He led the Bears this season with 14.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game while converting 55.4 percent of his field goal attempts. He led the Bears in scoring 10 times and in rebounding 18 times. He also scored in double figures in 22 of 27 games. Da Silva was a two-time MVC Player of the Week (Jan. 14 and Feb. 18) and also won MVC Newcomer of the Week distinction the same two weeks.
 
The Guy Thompson Award is presented annually to the men's basketball senior player who demonstrates outstanding character, leadership, athleticism and academic success. The award is named in honor of the former MSU registrar and long-time basketball public address announcer.
 
Dixon scored 1,245 points in his four-year stint at MSU. He was one of the most-improved players in the Missouri Valley Conference as a senior, improving his scoring average 4.0 points per game to a 13.1 scoring average this winter.

A noted defender, Dixon knocked down 104 3-pointers in his 128 games with the Bears with 325 rebounds, 229 assists and 126 steals. His career scoring total ranks 15th on the program's all-time list, just three points behind Winston Garland (1985-87) for 14th place.
 
Dixon was also presented with the inaugural Coaches Award, presented by head coach Dana Ford on behalf of his staff.

Other team awards went to Ryan Kreklow (Sr., Columbia, Mo.), winner of the first G.R.I.T. Award, and classmate Josh Webster (St. Louis, Mo.) who was given the team's Most-Improved Award by the staff.

Conference award winners were also honored, including All-MVC first-team honoree and Newcomer of the Year Da Silva; All-MVC third-team selection and All-Newcomer Team member Keandre Cook (Jr., Baltimore, Md.) and fellow MVC All-Newcomer Team member Webster.
 
The MSU Coors Players of the Week were also recognized for their contributions this season as follows:
 
2018-19 Coors Players of the Week (Week of, Opponents, Recipient)
Nov. 4    - ORU, RMU ... Jarred Dixon
Nov. 11    - Stetson ... Keandre Cook
Nov. 18    - HOF Classic, Murray ...Kenadre Cook
Nov. 25    - Air Force, Oregon St. ... Tulio Da Silva
Dec. 2    - Western Kentucky ... Ryan Kreklow
Dec. 9    - North Dakota St. ... Jarred Dixon
Dec. 16    - Arkansas St., UAPB ... Josh Webster
Dec. 30    - WWU, SIU, Valpo ... Ryan Kreklow
Jan. 6    - Indiana St., Bradley ... Tulio Da Silva
Jan. 13    - Evansville ... Tulio Da Silva
Jan. 20    - Drake, Loyola, Bradley ... Keandre Cook
Jan. 27    - Valpo, UNI ... Keandre Cook
Feb. 3    - Southern Ill. ... Jarred Dixon
Feb. 10    - Illinois St., Evansville ... Tulio Da Silva
Feb. 17    - Loyola, UNI, Indiana St. ... Tulio Da Silva
Feb. 24    - Illinois St., Drake ... Jarred Dixon
March 3    - MVC Tourney ...Jarred Dixon
 
Past Coors Players of the Year Recipients
    1983 Ricky Johnson
    1984 Chris Scott
    1985 Brian Smith, Randy Stange
    1986 Winston Garland
    1987 Winston Garland
    1988 Stan Worthy
    1989 Hubert Henderson, Kelby Stuckey
    1990 Lee Campbell
    1991 Arnold Bernard
    1992 Jackie Crawford
    1993 Johnny Murdock
    1994 Johnny Murdock
    1995 Johnny Murdock
    1996 Johnny Epps, Robert Wilkerson
    1997 Danny Moore
    1998 Kevin Ault, Ben Kandlbinder
    1999 Danny Moore
    2000 Kevin Ault, Allen Phillips
    2001 Mike Wallace
    2002 Scott Brakebill, Terrance McGee
    2003 Terrance McGee
    2004 Merrill Andrews
    2005 Tamarr Maclin
    2006 Blake Ahearn
    2007 Blake Ahearn
    2008 Dale Lamberth, Deven Mitchell
    2009 Chris Cooks
    2010 Adam Leonard
    2011 Kyle Weems
    2012 Kyle Weems
    2013 Anthony Downing
    2014 Jarmar Gulley
    2015 Camyn Boone
    2016 Dequon Miller
    2017 Alize Johnson
    2018 Alize Johnson
    2019 Tulio Da Silva
 
Past Guy Thompson Award Recipients
    1969 Mert Bancroft
    1971 Chuck Williams
    1972 Bob Curl
    1973 Eric Thompson
    1974 Randy Magers
    1976 Daryel Garrison
    1978 Jimmie Dull
    1980 Larry Lewis
    1981 Ed Liliensiek
    1982 Mark Lance
    1983 Ricky Johnson
    1984 Anthony Boggs
    1985 Brian Smith
    1986 Phil Schlegel
    1987 Scott Hickox
    1988 Stan Worthy
    1989 Kelby Stuckey
    1990 Chris Stange
    1991 David Brewer
    1992 Andre Rigsby
    1993 Dale Ribble
    1994 Tom Schellemans
    1995 Clint Thomas
    1996 Monte Marsh
    1997 Coleco Buie
    1998 Ben Kandlbinder
    1999 Danny Moore
    2000 Eric Judd
    2001 Matt Rueter
    2002 Scott Brakebill
    2003 Jason Gilbert
    2004 Monwell Randle
    2005 Trevyor Fisher
    2006 Kellen Easley
    2007 Tyler Chaney
    2008 Drew Richards
    2009 Spencer Laurie
    2010 Justin Fuehrmeyer
    2011 Jermaine Mallett
    2012 Isaiah Rhine
    2013 Anthony Downing
    2014 Keith Pickens
    2015 Christian Kirk
    2016 Camyn Boone
    2017 Tyler McCullough
    2018 Jarrid Rhodes
    2019 Jarred Dixon