ROSEMONT, ILL. — Michigan senior point guard Zavier Simpson has been named to the preseason All-Big Ten team. It's the eighth straight season U-M has put a representative on the squad.
Simpson, Michigan's MVP last season, has not missed a game in his career, having played in 116 straight. He registered the second most assists (244) in a single season last year, improved to seventh all-time with 431 career assists and became the 10th Wolverine to record 400-plus in a career.
Simpson recorded U-M's sixth triple-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists against Ohio State (Jan. 29) and has passed 10 assists a program-best eight times.His 6.6 assists per game a year ago ranked him 11th in the country while his 3.3 assist/turnover ratio placed him sixth.
Simpson posted a second straight season with 50-plus steals and earned All-Big Ten second team and All-Defensive Team honors. He posted 17 double-figure scoring games for a career-best 8.8 points per game, including his first career 20-plus point game with 24 against Northwestern (Jan. 13).
Simpson and the rest of the 2019-20 Michigan squad in their only exhibition when the Wolverines take on Saginaw Valley State on Friday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m.
Big Ten Preseason Honors
Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS
2019-20 Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year
CASSIUS WINSTON, Senior (Michigan State)
2019-20 Preseason All-Big Ten Team
ANTHONY COWAN JR., Senior (Maryland), Ayo Dosunmu, Sophomore (Illinois), Nojel Eastern, Junior (Purdue), Zavier Simpson, Senior (Michigan), Jalen Smith, Sophomore (Maryland), Lamar Stevens, Senior (Penn State), Xavier Tillman, Junior (Michigan State), KALEB WESSON, Junior (Ohio State), Joe Wieskamp, Sophomore (Iowa), CASSIUS WINSTON, Senior (Michigan State)
U-M's Preseason All-Big Ten Selections
1993-94: Juwan Howard & Jalen Rose
1995-96: Maurice Taylor
1996-97: Maurice Taylor
1997-98: Robert Traylor
1998-99: Louis Bullock
2000-01: LaVell Blanchard
2001-02: LaVell Blanchard
2003-04: Daniel Horton
2008-09: Manny Harris
2009-10: Manny Harris
2012-13: Trey Burke
2013-14: Mitch McGary & Glenn Robinson III
2014-15: Caris LeVert
2015-16: Caris LeVert
2016-17: Derrick Walton Jr.
2017-18: Moritz Wagner
2018-19: Charles Matthews
2019-20: Zavier Simpson
