FROM STAFF REPORTS

The University of Montevallo senior guard D.J. Rivera was recently named a third team All-American by the Basketball Times publication.

Rivera joined fellow Peach Belt Conference player Dwight Tolbert of Lander University on the third team. This is Rivera’s first All-American honor.

Rivera was also named a Daktronics third team All-American on team voted on by the members of the College Sports Information Directors of America. Rivera is the only Peach Belt Conference player on the list.

Rivera was a first team All-PBC selection, first team Daktronics All-Region selection and a National Association of Basketball Coaches’ first team All-District selection. Rivera was named to the PBC All-Tournament team and was named the Most Outstanding Player at the NCAA Southeast Region tournament.

Rivera leads the conference in points per game with 21.8 and steals per game with 2.5. He currently ranks sixth in scoring in the NCAA Division II ranks and 13th in steals. He has scored in double figures in all but one game in a Montevallo uniform and has scored 20-plus points in 20 games this season.

Rivera broke the Montevallo NCAA record for free throws made in a game with 14 and free throw percentage in a game, going 14-of-14 from the charity stripe earlier this season. He also recently broke the Montevallo single-season scoring record with 698 points, which bested the record set by Greg Brown during the 2006-2007 season when the former Montevallo guard scored 694 points.

Rivera and the rest of the Falcons, who are ranked No. 22 in the latest NABC Division II poll, return to action Wednesday, March 21 at 7:30 p.m. as they travel to Highland Heights, Ky., to take on No. 13 Metropolitan State College of Denver in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.