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As discussed in our Miami basketball preview, there's been all sorts of turnover on the Miami roster this offseason. But one guy who's stuck around is our #9 MAC basketball player, senior forward Will Felder.
Felder was Miami's second-leading scorer and top rebounder last season, and John Cooper needs him to have a similar performance if the RedHawks aim to show improvement this year. Last season, his first in the MAC (he transferred from the Pennsylvania version of St. Francis), resulted in honorable mention all-conference honors. And Felder doesn't just rebound: he takes good shots, being among the top 5 in the MAC in field goal percentage at .521; he hits free throws, coming in at roughly 83% on the year; and averages over a block a game.
Does Felder do the sexy things, like hitting long-range threes that make arenas explode? No. But he has skills indispensable to any basketball team, serving as a frontcourt anchor any MAC squad would be happy to have. His experience at St. Francis backs that up: his sophomore year, he was the only player on his team to start every game of the season. And as a freshman, he made the all-NEC rookie team averaging 9.3 points per game from the post.
Will Felder is not only crucial to the RedHawks' season; he is also one of the top returning big men in the MAC. Hence his spot on our countdown.