11   Kiel Turpin
	Class: Junior Hometown: Normal, Ill. High School: Normal Community West Last College: Lincoln College Height / Weight: 6-11 / 225 Position: Center Birthdate: 10/01/1989 Experience: JC

"What Kiel was able to accomplish over the last two years at Lincoln College was simply amazing. It wasn't even the player of the year awards and championships he won over the last two years that made it amazing; it was his work ethic and his ability to develop his game so quickly. Kiel has only scratched the surface of his ability and with his height and ball skills the sky is the limit," said Lincoln College head coach Kirk Whiteman.

ON TURPIN: Only the second player in NJCAA Division II history to be named the Most Valuable Player in two consecutive national tournaments - 2010 and 2011...only Turpin and Jeff Massey of Owens Technical College in 1992 and 1993 have won consecutive MVP honors in the Division II National Tournament...helped lead Lincoln College to consecutive NJCAA Division II National Championships in both 2010 and 2011...led Lincoln to the 2011 NJCAA Division II National Championship in 2011 with a 74-67 victory over Mott Community College on March 20, 2011...scored 19 points and pulled down seven rebounds in the championship game...scored 19 points to go along with seven rebounds and three blocked shots in Lincoln's national championship clinching victory during his freshman season...with Turpin in Lincoln's line-up in 2010 and 2011 the Lynx finished with a 58-13 record...the Lynx were 30-6 during his freshman season and 28-7 during his sophomore season...

AT LINCOLN COLLEGE: Graduated from Lincoln in 2011...averaged 14.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocked shots as a sophomore in leading Lincoln to the NJCAA Division II National Championship and earning MVP honors of the national tournament...named the Division II Region 24 Player of the Year, the Region 24 All-Region team and the Mid-West Athletic Conference Player of the Year as a sophomore...earned All-MWAC First Team honors as a freshman...scored 12 points and added five rebounds in Lincoln's 90-72 victory over Erie Community College in the 2011 semifinals...scored a double double of 16 points 11 rebounds and added two blocked shots and two assists as he led Lincoln to the national semifinals with a 80-76 win over Cecil College in Maryland in the national quarterfinals...Turpin opened the game with four straight baskets to give the Lynx a lead they never surrendered in defeating Cecil...helped Lincoln gain the NJCAA Division II preseason No. 1 national ranking...totaled a double double of 24 points and 14 rebounds in leading Lincoln over John Wood College on Feb. 11, 2011...totaled 27 points in Lincoln's win over Illinois Central College on Feb. 4, 2011 - the same night the Lynx raised their 2010 National Championship banner to the roof of their field house...averaged 11.3 points and 7.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots as a freshman...in being named the MVP of the National Tournament, Turpin averaged 16.3 points and 3.8 blocked shots in leading the Lynx to the national title...totaled 21 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots in the 2010 national championship game...Lincoln defeated Cincinnati State, 71-60, to win the national championship...

AT NORMAL COMMUNITY WEST: Graduated from Normal Community West High School in 2009...averaged just over 5.0 points a game as a reserve during his senior season as a growth spurt allowed him to grow into his body as he grew...

PERSONAL: Born Oct. 1, 1989...Kiel is the son of Lisa and Chris Nichols...grew from 6-5 to 6-11 between his junior and senior seasons of high school and grew a total of eight inches during his final two seasons of high school...before his growth spurt in high school he was teased about being shorter than his sister, a 6-4 volleyball player...Kiel is the son of Lisa and Chris Nichols and the son of former Kentucky All-American Mel Turpin...Mel was a two-time All-SEC First Team pick, the 1984 SEC scoring leader and the sixth overall selection in the 1984 NBA Draft...Florida State's head coach Leonard Hamilton was an assistant coach at Kentucky when Mel was a star collegiate player...intends to major in criminology...

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