CCU

Coastal's Torrey Butler Tabbed College Insider.Com Preseason Mid-Major All-America

           

Coastal's Torrey Butler Tabbed College Insider.Com Preseason Mid-Major All-America

CONWAY, SC — Coastal Carolina University junior guard Torrey Butler has been named an Honorable Mention Preseason Mid-Major All-America by College Insider.Com.

Butler, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, is coming off a season which saw him take home Big South Conference Player of the Year and Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American honors. The 6'3" guard averaged a conference best 19.6 points per game, also ranking him 41st among all NCAA Division I players. Butler also posted 5.8 rebounds per game and connected on 52.3 percent of his shots from the field, including 47.6 percent taken from behind the 3-point arc.

The College Insider.Com Mid-Major All-America Team is made up of players in the following conferences: America East, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, Horizon, Independents, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Continent, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Sun Belt, West Coast. 30 Division I coaches assist in the process of assembling this team.

Rather than assemble a first, second and third team and fourth team, College Insider.Com puts together one team consisting of 21 players.

BRETT BLIZZARD (UNC Wilmington): An exciting player, the 6’3” junior led the Seahawks in scoring (13.7 ppg.). Should be the preseason player of the year selection in the Colonial Athletic Association.

JEFF BOLTON (College of Charleston): He finished second on the team and fifth in the Southern Conference averaging 16 points per game. The senior guard will be a key component to the Cougars quest to return to postseason.

DEVIN BROWN (UT-San Antonio): The 6’4” senior is a tremendous athlete and the hands-down choice for Southland Conference player of the year in 2002. The all-time San Antonio high school scoring leader needs just 283 points to top the Roadrunners scoring list.

TARISE BRYSON (Illinois State): The nation’s leading returning scorer was granted a fifth year of eligibility. He averaged nearly 23 points a game, including 38 in an NIT loss to Purdue. This 6’1” senior is special.

DAN DICKAU (Gonzaga): College Insider.Com’s Mid-Major player of the year last season. He’s one of the top point guards in college basketball. The senior has been a part of two different teams to advance to the Sweet 16 (Gonzaga 2001, Washington 1999).

HENRY DOMERCANT (Eastern Illinois): He came out of nowhere last season, averaging over 22 points per contest, and helped EIU to the NCAA tournament. An explosive scorer, this 6’4” junior is still getting better.

SCOTT EMERSON (Mercer): One of the better kept secrets in college basketball, the 6’9” junior averaged 16.3 points per game and a team leading 7.7 rebounds per contest. He finished with eight double-doubles this season and now has 20 for his career.

JERRY GREEN (UC-Irvine): The senior guard is among 50 preseason candidates for the John R. Wooden Award. Last season he averaged 19 points per game and has led the Anteaters in scoring and assists each of his first three seasons at the university.

TREVOR HUFFMAN (Kent State): The senior guard is a clutch performer. He helped lead the Golden Flashes to an NCAA tournament win over Indiana. He was a named to College Insider.Com’s 2001 All-Defensive team.

BRANDON HUNTER (Ohio): The 6’7” junior is arguably the best big man in the Mid-American Conference. He tallied 18 points a game last season for the Bobcats.

MICHAEL JACKSON (UMKC): Last season he led the Kangaroos in scoring and rebounding. With new coach Rick Zvosec’s offensive philosophy, look for this senior forward to flourish.

THOMAS JACKSON (Butler): The senior point guard plays much bigger than his 5’9” frame. The Bulldogs leading returning scorer (13.0 ppg) is the heart and soul of new coach Todd Lickliter’s squad.

RAHSAAN JOHNSON (Monmouth): The 2001 Northeast Conference player of the year led the Hawks in virtually every offensive category (19 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 6.0 apg). The senior guard poured in 43 points in one contest.

SEAN KENNEDY (Marist): A nagging back condition limited his productivity a year ago, but he’s healthy now and is the best point guard in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The 6’2” senior has a knack for making big shots in crunch time.

CHRIS MARCUS (Western Kentucky): The 7’1” senior is an NBA Lottery pick. He ranked third in the nation in rebounds (12.1 rpg) and is the Hilltoppers leading returning scorer (16.7 ppg.). He collected 20 double-doubles.

KEITH MCLEOD (Bowling Green): The 6’2” senior hasn’t gotten a lot of attention, but that will change this season. He was second on the team in scoring (18.1 ppg) and led the Falcons in scoring in nine of their final eleven contests.

ADAM PARADA (UC-Irvine): Only a sophomore, this 7-footer has a huge upside. He led the Anteaters in rebounding with over six a contest. Played for Mexico in the Goodwill Games this summer.

MARIO PORTER (Rider): A force in the paint, the 6’6” senior led the Broncs in scoring (19.2 ppg). There is not question that he should be the preseason choice for MAAC player of the year.

TAMAR SLAY (Marshall): The 6’9” senior is a preseason candidate for the Wooden Award. He averaged nearly 17 points and just over five rebounds a game for the Thundering Herd.

THERON SMITH (Ball State): Two years ago he was the Mid-American Conference freshman of the year. As a sophomore he led the Cardinals in scoring (16.4 ppg.) and finished second in rebounding (8.2 rpg.).

DAVID WEBBER (Central Michigan): The 6’2” senior was named Mid-American Conference player of the year, averaging over 18 points a game. He also pulled down over five rebounds a contest.

HONORABLE MENTION:

Rick Apodaca (Hofstra), Lubos Barton (Valparaiso), Kelyn Block (Indiana State), Jermaine Boyette (Weber State), Tony Brown (Utah State), Torrey Butler (Coastal Carolina), Theo Dixon (Cleveland State), Patrick Doctor (American), Corsley Edwards (Central Connecticut State), Courtney Eldridge (UNC Greensboro), Willie Green (Detroit), Zach Gourde (Gonzaga), Raitis Grafs (Valparaiso), Blane Harmon (UL-Lafayette), Earl Hunt (Brown), Jason Jennings (Arkansas State), Curtis King (Morgan State), Kyle Korver (Creighton), Anthony Lackey (Portland State), Tyrone Levett (Alabama State), Len Metela (Bowling Green), Ricky Minard (Morehead State), Terry Reynolds (Toledo), Jason Rozycki (Oakland), Andrey Savtchenko (Radford), Alex Shorts (Miami), Blake Stepp (Gonzaga), Darrell Tucker (San Francisco), Dyree Wilson (Iona).