Liberty’s Zach Cleveland and Kyle Rode have been named Second Team All-CUSA, Kaden Metheny earns Third Team All-CUSA, and Joseph Venzant has been named to the CUSA All-Defensive Team, as announced by the conference on Monday.

This group helped the Flames to finish in a four-way tie for fourth place, earning the No. 4 seed in this week’s CUSA Tournament, in the program’s first year in the conference. Liberty finished the regular season at 18-13 overall and 7-9 in CUSA play.

Cleveland is currently third on the team with 12.0 points per game scored. Healso leads the team in both rebounds (6.2 per game) and assists (4.0 per game). The 6’7″ sophomore forward is shooting 60.0% from the field.

Rode leads the Flames with 14.3 points per game. He’s also averaging 5.0 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game this season. He has shot 40.2% from the field and 39.0% from three-point range.

Metheny is averaging 13.2 points per game, second best on the team. The transfer guard from Bowling Green is also averaging 3.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists per contest. He is shooting a team-best 40.3% from three.

Venzant has been one of the Flames’ top defenders during his three seasons on the Mountain. He is currently second on the team with 6.1 rebounds per game.

Louisiana Tech’s Isaiah Crawford was named the Player of the Year and the Defensive Player of the Year while Sam Houston’s Chris Mudge was named Coach of the Year. Louisiana Tech’s Daniel Batcho was named Newcomer of the Year, UTEP’s David Terrell, Jr. was named Freshman of the Year, and Western Kentucky’s Rodney Howard earned Sixth Player of the Year.

The Flames return to action Thursday evening at 6:30 Eastern in the CUSA Tournament quarterfinals. The Flames are the #4 seed and will take on #5 seed UTEP in Huntsville, Alabama.

2023-24 CUSA POSTSEASON AWARDS

Player of the Year: Isaiah Crawford, Louisiana Tech
Defensive Player of the Year: Isaiah Crawford, Louisiana Tech
Freshman of the Year: David Terrell, Jr., UTEP
Sixth Player of the Year: Rodney Howard, Western Kentucky
Coach of the Year: Chris Mudge, Sam Houston
Newcomer of the Year: Daniel Batcho, Louisiana Tech

All-CUSA First Team

Kyky Tandy, Jax State
Daniel Batcho, Louisiana Tech
Isaiah Crawford, Louisiana Tech
Lamar Wilkerson, Sam Houston
Don McHenry, Western Kentucky

All-CUSA Second Team

Zach Cleveland, Liberty
Kyle Rode, Liberty
Jestin Porter, Middle Tennessee
Davon Barnes, Sam Houston
Tae Hardy, UTEP

All-CUSA Third Team

Arturo Dean, FIU
Tahlik Chavez, Louisiana Tech
Kaden Metheny, Liberty
Jared Coleman-Jones, Middle Tennessese
Femi Odukale, New Mexico State

All-CUSA Honorable Mention

Javaunte Hawkins, FIU
Mason NIcholson, Jax State
Sean Newman, Jr., Louisiana Tech
Elias King, Middle Tennessee
Kaosi Ezeagu, New Mexico State
Cameron Huefner, Sam Houston
Otis Frazier III, UTEP
Rodney Howard, Western Kentucky
Tyrone Marshall, Jr., Western Kentucky
Brandon Newman, Western Kentucky

CUSA All-Defensive Team

Arturo Dean, FIU
Daniel Batcho, Louisiana Tech
Isaiah Crawford, Louisiana Tech
Joseph Venzant, Liberty
Otis Frazier III, UTEP

CUSA All-Freshman Team

Chris Loofe, Middle Tennessee
Elijah Jones, UTEP
Trey Horton III, UTEP
David Terrell, Jr., UTEP
Teagan Moore, Western Kentucky