University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Kevin Vannatta Chosen Big South Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year
07.11.2018 | Men's Basketball
Big South Official Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – On the same day that he started his new full-time position in the Corporate Analyst Development Program at JPMorgan Chase & Co. in Columbus, Ohio, UNC Asheville men's basketball standout Kevin Vannatta has also been chosen as the 2017-18 Big South Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
The Big South Conference league office made the official announcement on Wednesday, July 11, 2018.
The league Scholar-Athletes of the Year are voted on by the Big South Sports Information Directors from a pool of each sport's Scholar-Athlete winner. Campbell women's lacrosse attacker Mackenzie Koeller was chosen as the Big South Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
The 6-foot-2 senior guard is UNC Asheville's second-ever Big South Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, joining UNC Asheville men's soccer legend Mike Roach (2001-02).
"It means a lot just to be honored for all of the hard work that I have put in, both on and off the court," Vannatta noted.
In addition to winning the Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year award for the conference, Vannatta was also chosen as the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association (DI-AAA ADA) Scholar-Athlete of the Year for men's basketball and as the Big South Men's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
The Upper Arlington, Ohio native was also selected to the 2017-18 Academic All-America® NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
An Accounting major at UNC Asheville, Vannatta recently graduated with a 3.94 grade-point average.
During his time in Asheville, Vannatta represented UNC Asheville and the Big South Conference on the NCAA Division I National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
His time working with the league in this way makes this honoring that much more important to him.
"The people that I've gotten to know are incredible people, athletes and community servants and to be honored at this level among them, it makes me feel like it is even that much more special," Vannatta relayed.
Vannatta was also named to the 2016-17 and 2017-18 CoSIDA All-District® 3 Men's Basketball first-team in addition to being tabbed as a DI-AAA ADA Scholar-Athlete in the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons. He was also an official candidate for the 2017-18 Senior CLASS Award and he was listed among the nominees for the NABC's Give Back Team for outstanding community service efforts.
Vannatta ended his prolific career with UNC Asheville with the most minutes played in program history (4,165) and tied for the most games played in program history (130). The Academic All-American finished his career with 1,243 points, 574 rebounds and 378 assists.
Vannatta's honoring is part of a special year in the classroom at UNC Asheville with four Bulldogs garnering Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors for their sport.
In addition to Vannatta being named the Big South Men's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Kayli Nichols was chosen as the Big South Women's Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year, while Blanton Gillespie was named the Big South Men's Outdoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Catherine Allen of UNC Asheville swimming was named the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
For the 2017-18 athletic year overall, UNC Asheville student-athletes showed their commitment to the classroom by finishing the academic year with a combined grade-point average of 3.142.
Impressively, 72 percent (161 of 223) of UNC Asheville student-athletes during the 2017-18 athletic year received Athletic Director Honor Roll recognition with a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher.
In addition, 90 Bulldog student-athletes owned a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher to earn Dean's List recognition.
UNC Asheville athletics had a total of 24 student-athletes collect Chancellor's List honors in the 2017-18 athletic year with perfect 4.0 grade-point averages.
The athletic year concluded for UNC Asheville with 42 athletic graduates taking part in the May 2018 Commencement exercises held at the quadrangle on the UNC Asheville campus on Saturday, May 12, 2018.
To learn more about UNC Asheville men's basketball and athletics, please visit uncabulldogs.com.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – On the same day that he started his new full-time position in the Corporate Analyst Development Program at JPMorgan Chase & Co. in Columbus, Ohio, UNC Asheville men's basketball standout Kevin Vannatta has also been chosen as the 2017-18 Big South Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
The Big South Conference league office made the official announcement on Wednesday, July 11, 2018.
The league Scholar-Athletes of the Year are voted on by the Big South Sports Information Directors from a pool of each sport's Scholar-Athlete winner. Campbell women's lacrosse attacker Mackenzie Koeller was chosen as the Big South Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
The 6-foot-2 senior guard is UNC Asheville's second-ever Big South Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, joining UNC Asheville men's soccer legend Mike Roach (2001-02).
"It means a lot just to be honored for all of the hard work that I have put in, both on and off the court," Vannatta noted.
In addition to winning the Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year award for the conference, Vannatta was also chosen as the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association (DI-AAA ADA) Scholar-Athlete of the Year for men's basketball and as the Big South Men's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
The Upper Arlington, Ohio native was also selected to the 2017-18 Academic All-America® NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
An Accounting major at UNC Asheville, Vannatta recently graduated with a 3.94 grade-point average.
During his time in Asheville, Vannatta represented UNC Asheville and the Big South Conference on the NCAA Division I National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
His time working with the league in this way makes this honoring that much more important to him.
"The people that I've gotten to know are incredible people, athletes and community servants and to be honored at this level among them, it makes me feel like it is even that much more special," Vannatta relayed.
Vannatta was also named to the 2016-17 and 2017-18 CoSIDA All-District® 3 Men's Basketball first-team in addition to being tabbed as a DI-AAA ADA Scholar-Athlete in the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons. He was also an official candidate for the 2017-18 Senior CLASS Award and he was listed among the nominees for the NABC's Give Back Team for outstanding community service efforts.
Vannatta ended his prolific career with UNC Asheville with the most minutes played in program history (4,165) and tied for the most games played in program history (130). The Academic All-American finished his career with 1,243 points, 574 rebounds and 378 assists.
Vannatta's honoring is part of a special year in the classroom at UNC Asheville with four Bulldogs garnering Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors for their sport.
In addition to Vannatta being named the Big South Men's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Kayli Nichols was chosen as the Big South Women's Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year, while Blanton Gillespie was named the Big South Men's Outdoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Catherine Allen of UNC Asheville swimming was named the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
For the 2017-18 athletic year overall, UNC Asheville student-athletes showed their commitment to the classroom by finishing the academic year with a combined grade-point average of 3.142.
Impressively, 72 percent (161 of 223) of UNC Asheville student-athletes during the 2017-18 athletic year received Athletic Director Honor Roll recognition with a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher.
In addition, 90 Bulldog student-athletes owned a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher to earn Dean's List recognition.
UNC Asheville athletics had a total of 24 student-athletes collect Chancellor's List honors in the 2017-18 athletic year with perfect 4.0 grade-point averages.
The athletic year concluded for UNC Asheville with 42 athletic graduates taking part in the May 2018 Commencement exercises held at the quadrangle on the UNC Asheville campus on Saturday, May 12, 2018.
To learn more about UNC Asheville men's basketball and athletics, please visit uncabulldogs.com.
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