IWU’s Freeman Named Second Team Academic All-American
February 28, 2007
CONTACT: Stew Salowitz, 309-556-3206
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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Illinois Wesleyan senior Zach Freeman has been elected to the second team of the 2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American college division men’s basketball team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Freeman, a 6-foot-7 center from Bloomington (Normal Community HS), has a 3.48 grade-point average as an elementary education major, is a member of the IWU Student Athletic Advisory Council and did his student teaching last fall at Bloomington’s Washington Elementary School.
Freeman is one of 10 national finalists for the Jostens Trophy, recognizing the outstanding student-athlete in Division III, and was a first team all-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin choice. He is also one of 96 Division II, III and NAIA players in consideration for the Collegiate Basketball Invitational, which will be April 19-21, 2007, in Wadsworth, Ohio.
This season, Freeman led the 11-14 Titans with a 21.6 scoring average and 9.1 rebounds. His .614 field goal percentage is fifth best in a single IWU season and his 539 points is 13th most. He was the Titans’ leading scorer in 16 games, top rebounder in 19 and had nine double-double games in points-rebounds.
For his career, Freeman scored 1,688 points and had 819 rebounds, making him No. 7 and No. 4, respectively in those school record categories. He was No. 2 with 472 free throws made, No. 7 with 602 made field goals and his .581 career field goal percentage is third best at IWU. Freeman was also 12th best in a career with a .744 free throw accuracy mark.
To be considered for the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® squads, players must be of at least sophomore standing, have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.2 (of 4.0), and be a starter or first-line reserve. A voting board representing the 1,800 members of CoSIDA chooses the teams.
Freeman’s selection give Illinois Wesleyan a total of 103 Academic All-America berths earned by Titan student-athletes since the program began in 1970, a total eclipsed by only six other schools, including Nebraska, Notre Dame, Penn State, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Illinois Wesleyan has 15 first team Academic All-Americans in men’s basketball, a total that is second overall behind only UCLA (with 17). Teams with 13 first team Academic All-Americans are Indiana and Kansas. Other schools ranking highly in first team Academic All-Americans are Duke (12), Notre Dame (11), Kentucky (9), and Brigham Young and Millikin (8). Illinois Wesleyan also has had eight others in men’s basketball that earned second- or third-team Academic All-America honors.
2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America®
College Division Men’s Basketball Team
FIRST TEAM
Beau Bauer, Florida Gulf Coast, Sr., Walton, Ind., 4.00, Business Management
* Troy Ruths, Washington U., Jr., Sugar Land, Texas, 4.00, Computer Science
Patrick Hannaway, U. of Colorado-Colorado Springs, Sr., Colorado Springs, Colo. 3.92 Biology
Aurimas Truskauskas, Gannon, Sr., Joniskis, Lithuania, 3.92, International Business
Steve Dagostino, College of St. Rose, Jr., Schenectady, N.Y., 3.88, Accounting
SECOND TEAM
Kyle Born, Whitman, Sr., Stanwood, Wash., 3.62, English
Patrick Carney, Chapman, Sr., Lake Forest, Calif., 3.84, Accounting
Zach Freeman, Illinois Wesleyan, Sr., Bloomington, Ill., 3.48, Elementary Education
Jack Rother, Morningside, Jr., Wolbach, Neb., 3.90, Business Administration
Dusty Jura, U. of Nebraska-Kearney, Sr., Columbus, Neb., 3.62, Sports Administration
Ben Falkenberg, Mount Vernon Nazarene, So., Wadsworth, Ohio, 3.84, Biology
THIRD TEAM
Michael Fiddler, Wheaton (Ill.), Sr., Colorado Springs, Colo., 3.93, Ancient Languages
Daniel Markus, Redlands, Jr., Orange, Calif., 3.94, International Business
Matt Griffin, Johns Hopkins, Sr., Glen Mills, Pa., 3.45, Philosophy and Psychology
John Hauser, SUNY-New Paltz, Sr., East Williston, N.Y., 3.83, Accounting & Finance
* - College Division Academic All-America of the Year