Photo by Dan L. Vander Beek /Vander Beek Photography

Central College center Joshua Van Gorp was included on the Bevo Francis Top 100 Watch List as the small-college men’s basketball player of the year.

The Clarence “Bevo” Francis Award is in its eighth year of being presented annually to the top player among the NCAA Division II, Division III, NAIA, and NCCAA. Season statistics, individual achievements, awards, personal character and team awards are considered. The list will be reduced to the top 50 on February 15th and the top 25 on March 15th, before finalists and the winner are announced on a date to be determined.

Van Gorp became the first player in Central program history to receive NABC All-American distinction last year, gaining third-team honors. He was also the American Rivers Conference MVP after helping lead the Dutch to the conference title. The 6-foot-10 four-year starter ranks 12th in Division III in points per game (22.1), 11th in rebounds per game (11.5), 11th in field goal percentage (63.9%), and 14th in double-doubles (8).

The Dutch are 10-6 overall and 4-3 in conference, and wrap up the first slate of league play on Wednesday with a trip to Decorah for a contest with Luther College.