University of North Carolina Athletics
Sanders Named To All-ACC Academic Team
June 29, 2006 | Men's Basketball
June 29, 2006
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Virginia Tech junior forward Coleman Collins, Duke freshman point guard Greg Paulus, NC State senior forward Ilian Evtimov and Clemson senior guard Shawan Robinson head the 2006 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Men's Basketball Team, as announced today by Commissioner John Swofford.
University of North Carolina forward Byron Sanders, a senior in 2005-06, was named to the team. Sanders also was named to the team in 2003-04 as a sophomore. In 2004-05, former Tar Heel Melvin Scott earned a spot on the squad.
To be eligible for consideration, a player must have earned a 3.00 grade point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.00 cumulative average during his academic career.
Five players, including Robinson and Wake Forest junior center Kyle Visser, are repeaters from previous league all-academic teams. Robinson was named to the academic for a fourth time in his career while Visser is a three-time selection. Robinson led the ACC in free throw percentage (91.3) while averaging a team-high 12.3 points per game. Visser averaged 5.0 points and 4.3 rebounds while starting 17 games for the Demon Deacons.
In addition to Robinson and Visser, other repeaters from previous academic teams are Collins, Evtimov and Sanders. Sanders, a senior forward, averaged 2.5 points and 2.4 rebounds and shot 50.8 from the floor for the 23-8 Tar Heels.
Collins, an honorable mention All-ACC selection this past season, led the Hokies in rebounding (6.8), was second in scoring (14.5) and finished eighth in the ACC in field goal percentage (51.1). Paulus, an All-ACC Freshman team selection this year, started 33 games for the ACC champion Blue Devils, averaged 6.7 points per game and became only the fourth freshman to lead the conference is assists (5.2).
A product of Sofia, Bulgaria, Evtimov was the team's fourth-leading scorer in 2005-06 averaging 10.4 points per game for the 22-10 Wolfpack. A four-year starter, Evtimov finished 32nd on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,214 points.
Freshman forward Jimmy Graham heads up a list of three Miami players who were accorded berths on the academic team. Graham averaged 2.2 rebounds and 1.8 points while starting 10 games for the 18-16 Hurricanes.
2006 All-ACC Academic Men's Basketball Team
rian Asbury, Miami
illy Campbell, Virginia
Coleman Collins, Virginia Tech
Ilian Evtimov, NC State
Jimmy Graham, Miami
en McCauley, NC State
Greg Paulus, Duke
Martynas Pocius, Duke
Shawan Robinson, Clemson
Byron Sanders, North Carolina
Adrian Thomas, Miami
Kyle Visser, Wake Forest
