ATLANTA – He was the leading scorer on the best team in MCLA Division I and now Chapman sophomore Dylan Garner is the 2016 Player of the Year, which was announced on Tuesday.

Garner started the season at midfield and finished at attack, accumulating a team-leading 77 points (47g, 30a), which was also good for ninth in the country.

He registered at least one point in 20 of the Panthers’ 22 games.

Garner's greatest success came against Arizona State, as he ran up a career-high nine points (6g, 3a) against the Sun Devils in the SLC semifinals and followed that up with another eight (5g, 3a) versus ASU in the quarterfinals of the 2016 MCLA National Championships powered by Under Armour.

The Portland, Ore., product had at least five points in nine of the 22 contests this spring. After just two seasons, Garner has 79 goals and 52 assists for 131 points.

“He's a great choice, and a player the MCLA should be proud of,” said Chapman coach Dallas Hartley. “He's extremely talented, humble and competitive. He has played both midfield and attack for us and is comfortable in front or behind the cage.

“He played midfield in high school, attack for Chapman as a freshman, and this season he started at midfield for us and halfway through the season became so dominant we just had to keep him at attack. He's also a player who just wants to improve, so we are excited to have him for two more years. He's got a chance to put up some serious numbers after over 50 points his freshman year and over 70 as a sophomore.”

Chapman won its first MCLA National Championship in 2016, defeating Cal Poly, 9-5, in the finals.