Butler senior Tyler Wideman has been named the winner of the BIG EAST Sportsmanship Award. The league's head coaches choose the award winners and they are not permitted to vote for their own players. The BIG EAST made the announcement Monday, March 5.
 
Wideman is the third Bulldog (in Butler's five seasons as a BIG EAST member) to be selected as the conference's Sportsmanship Award recipient. He joins Kellen Dunham (2016) and Alex Barlow (2015).

"Tyler is a tremendous representative of Butler University and our program," said Butler coach LaVall Jordan. "In addition to the way he carries himself on the court, Tyler is a young man who is a strong role model to those children who he works with on a daily basis. He takes great pride in doing things the right way. We are very proud of him for this recognition." 

Wideman has been an exemplary performer for Butler on and off the court.  Off the court, the senior forward has been an intern at a local Jewish Community Center, working with preschool kids, retirees and Special Olympians.  He is also a middle school coach and volunteers with teammates to conduct basketball clinics for children with special needs.
 
On the court, Wideman is averaging 9.4 points and 5.2 rebounds. He ranks first in the BIG EAST in field goal shooting, making 66.9 percent. He is fifth in blocked shot on Butler's career list and is on pace to shatter Butler's single-season and career field goal percentage marks. He has scored in double figures in 12 games so far this season.
 
For the second straight year, Creighton junior Khyri Thomas has earned BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year honors.  Seton Hall sophomore guard Myles Powell has been named BIG EAST Most Improved Player.  Villanova sophomore Donte DiVincenzo has been chosen for the BIG EAST Sixth Man Award.
 
The BIG EAST will announce the remaining individual awards: Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Freshman of the Year and outstanding Men's Basketball Scholar-Athlete at a press conference at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, March 7, at 4:30 p.m. ET.
 
The Bulldogs open BIG EAST Tournament play Thursday with a quarterfinal match-up against third-seeded Seton Hall. Butler finished the regular season with a record of 19-12, including a 9-9 mark in BIG EAST play. The Bulldogs are the No. 6 in the upcoming BIG EAST Tournament.
 
BIG EAST Sportsmanship Award
Tyler Wideman, Butler
 
BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year
Khyri Thomas, Creighton
 
BIG EAST Most Improved Player
Myles Powell, Seton Hall
 
BIG EAST Sixth Man Award
Donte DiVincenzo, Villanova