University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Three UNC Asheville Men’s Basketball Student-Athletes Named to NABC Honors Court
07.18.2017 | Men's Basketball
2016-17 NABC Honors Court
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three UNC Asheville men's basketball student-athletes have been named to the 2016-17 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court that was released on Tuesday, July 18, 2017.
The three UNC Asheville men's basketball student-athletes recognized are graduated senior forwards Will Weeks and Giacomo Zilli and rising senior guard Kevin Vannatta.
The accolades from the NABC are the second in as many weeks for the Bulldogs, who were noted for their performance in the classroom during the 2016-17 athletic year by earning the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Team Academic Excellence Award on July 12, 2017.
The fifth annual Team Academic Excellence Awards, created by the NABC Committee on Academics, recognize outstanding academic achievement by teams with cumulative grade-point averages (GPA) of 3.0 or better for the 2016-17 season.
In order to earn a NABC Team Academic Excellence Award, institutions in the NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA must count the grade-point averages of all men's basketball student-athletes who competed during the 2016-17 season.
The UNC Asheville men's basketball team finished the 2016-17 athletic year with a cumulative team grade-point average of 3.094.
"These three student-athletes represent our program the right way," UNC Asheville men's basketball head coach Nick McDevitt said. "They work hard in all of their endeavors. In addition to being a big part of our championship teams, they shine in the classroom as well."
The NABC Honors Court recognizes men's collegiate basketball student-athletes who excelled in academics during the past season. In order to be named to the Honors Court, a student-athlete must meet a high standard of academic criteria. The qualifications are as follows:
1. Academically a junior or senior and a varsity player.
2. Cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 or higher at the conclusion of the 2016-17 academic year.
3. Students must have matriculated at least one year at their current institution.
4. Member of a NCAA Division I, II, III, or NAIA Division I or II institution with a NABC member coach.
Weeks graduated from UNC Asheville in May of 2017 with a degree in Management. He closed out his career owning a 3.588 grade-point average.
During UNC Asheville's road win at Longwood on Feb. 11, 2017, Weeks became the 83rd player in Big South Conference history to surpass 500 rebounds. Weeks ended his time as a Bulldog with 537 career rebounds. He closed out his Bulldog career with 805 total points.
Weeks played in 33 games in the 2016-17 season, starting 22. He averaged 6.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. In UNC Asheville's thrilling home win over Winthrop on Feb. 9, 2017, Weeks picked up his lone double-double of the season with 14 points and a career-best 12 rebounds. He just missed on a triple-double in the contest as he also dished out a career-high-tying six assists.
Zilli graduated in May of 2017 from UNC Asheville as a double major in Management and Economics. He concluded his time at UNC Asheville with a 3.964 grade-point average.
A key four-year contributor for UNC Asheville men's basketball, Zilli was chosen as the 2014-15 and 2016-17 Big South Men's Basketball Scholar Athlete of the Year.
This past season, Zilli averaged 4.0 points and 1.8 rebounds per game. He made 13 starts on the year for the Big South Conference regular-season co-champion Bulldogs.
Zilli along with Vannatta were two of only 10 selected to the 2016-17 DI-AAA ADA Men's Basketball Scholar-Athlete Team.
Vannatta enters his senior season with the Bulldogs owning a 3.94 grade-point average as an Accounting major.
Vannatta was named to the 2016-17 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District® 3 Men's Basketball first-team in addition to being tabbed as a DI-AAA ADA Scholar-Athlete. Vannatta also represents UNC Asheville and the Big South Conference on the NCAA Division I National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Last season, Vannatta played in all 33 games on the season, starting 32. He finished his junior campaign averaging 9.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and team-best and league fifth-best 3.3 assists per game. Vannatta's 110 assists on the year were also a career-best. Vannatta led the Big South in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.93). He enters his senior season with 913 career points.
The UNC Asheville men's basketball program picked up their sixth Big South Conference regular-season title in the 2016-17 season (1996-97, 1997-98, 2001-02, 2007-08, 2011-12 and 2016-17).
The Bulldogs will commence the 2017-18 season having collected back-to-back 20-win seasons and having made two straight postseason appearances with the Bulldogs playing in the 2016 NCAA Tournament and the 2017 CollegeInsider.com Tournament.
The 2016-17 Bulldogs earned the second-most wins in program history in a season with 23. Asheville reached 20 wins faster than any other team in program history in 27 games.
UNC Asheville is currently accepting deposits for season tickets, and fans can reserve their season ticket for only $50 per seat. The season ticket includes both men's and women's home regular-season basketball games.
To purchase your tickets today, please visit HERE.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three UNC Asheville men's basketball student-athletes have been named to the 2016-17 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court that was released on Tuesday, July 18, 2017.
The three UNC Asheville men's basketball student-athletes recognized are graduated senior forwards Will Weeks and Giacomo Zilli and rising senior guard Kevin Vannatta.
The accolades from the NABC are the second in as many weeks for the Bulldogs, who were noted for their performance in the classroom during the 2016-17 athletic year by earning the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Team Academic Excellence Award on July 12, 2017.
The fifth annual Team Academic Excellence Awards, created by the NABC Committee on Academics, recognize outstanding academic achievement by teams with cumulative grade-point averages (GPA) of 3.0 or better for the 2016-17 season.
In order to earn a NABC Team Academic Excellence Award, institutions in the NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA must count the grade-point averages of all men's basketball student-athletes who competed during the 2016-17 season.
The UNC Asheville men's basketball team finished the 2016-17 athletic year with a cumulative team grade-point average of 3.094.
"These three student-athletes represent our program the right way," UNC Asheville men's basketball head coach Nick McDevitt said. "They work hard in all of their endeavors. In addition to being a big part of our championship teams, they shine in the classroom as well."
The NABC Honors Court recognizes men's collegiate basketball student-athletes who excelled in academics during the past season. In order to be named to the Honors Court, a student-athlete must meet a high standard of academic criteria. The qualifications are as follows:
1. Academically a junior or senior and a varsity player.
2. Cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 or higher at the conclusion of the 2016-17 academic year.
3. Students must have matriculated at least one year at their current institution.
4. Member of a NCAA Division I, II, III, or NAIA Division I or II institution with a NABC member coach.
Weeks graduated from UNC Asheville in May of 2017 with a degree in Management. He closed out his career owning a 3.588 grade-point average.
During UNC Asheville's road win at Longwood on Feb. 11, 2017, Weeks became the 83rd player in Big South Conference history to surpass 500 rebounds. Weeks ended his time as a Bulldog with 537 career rebounds. He closed out his Bulldog career with 805 total points.
Weeks played in 33 games in the 2016-17 season, starting 22. He averaged 6.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. In UNC Asheville's thrilling home win over Winthrop on Feb. 9, 2017, Weeks picked up his lone double-double of the season with 14 points and a career-best 12 rebounds. He just missed on a triple-double in the contest as he also dished out a career-high-tying six assists.
Zilli graduated in May of 2017 from UNC Asheville as a double major in Management and Economics. He concluded his time at UNC Asheville with a 3.964 grade-point average.
A key four-year contributor for UNC Asheville men's basketball, Zilli was chosen as the 2014-15 and 2016-17 Big South Men's Basketball Scholar Athlete of the Year.
This past season, Zilli averaged 4.0 points and 1.8 rebounds per game. He made 13 starts on the year for the Big South Conference regular-season co-champion Bulldogs.
Zilli along with Vannatta were two of only 10 selected to the 2016-17 DI-AAA ADA Men's Basketball Scholar-Athlete Team.
Vannatta enters his senior season with the Bulldogs owning a 3.94 grade-point average as an Accounting major.
Vannatta was named to the 2016-17 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District® 3 Men's Basketball first-team in addition to being tabbed as a DI-AAA ADA Scholar-Athlete. Vannatta also represents UNC Asheville and the Big South Conference on the NCAA Division I National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Last season, Vannatta played in all 33 games on the season, starting 32. He finished his junior campaign averaging 9.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and team-best and league fifth-best 3.3 assists per game. Vannatta's 110 assists on the year were also a career-best. Vannatta led the Big South in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.93). He enters his senior season with 913 career points.
The UNC Asheville men's basketball program picked up their sixth Big South Conference regular-season title in the 2016-17 season (1996-97, 1997-98, 2001-02, 2007-08, 2011-12 and 2016-17).
The Bulldogs will commence the 2017-18 season having collected back-to-back 20-win seasons and having made two straight postseason appearances with the Bulldogs playing in the 2016 NCAA Tournament and the 2017 CollegeInsider.com Tournament.
The 2016-17 Bulldogs earned the second-most wins in program history in a season with 23. Asheville reached 20 wins faster than any other team in program history in 27 games.
UNC Asheville is currently accepting deposits for season tickets, and fans can reserve their season ticket for only $50 per seat. The season ticket includes both men's and women's home regular-season basketball games.
To purchase your tickets today, please visit HERE.
Players Mentioned
Monday, March 18
Monday, March 18
Thursday, March 14
Monday, March 04