University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Champagnie Earns USBWA All-District II Accolades
3/16/2021 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
PITTSBURGH – University of Pittsburgh sophomore forward Justin Champagnie was named to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association [USBWA] All-District II team as voted upon by its national membership of 900-plus members. The USBWA has selected All-District teams since the 1956-57 season, its founding year.
Champagnie, the lone major conference player averaging a double-double this season, is joined on the District II team by his twin brother Julian Champagnie (St. John's), Jordan Burns (Colgate), Derek Culver (West Virginia), Collin Gillespie (Villanova), Ron Harper, Jr. (Rutgers), Kyle Lofton (St. Bonaventure), Sandro Mamukelashvili (Seton Hall), Miles McBride (West Virginia) and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (Villanova). Robinson-Earl was tabbed as the district player of the year, while Bob Huggins (West Virginia) was selected as District II Coach of the Year.
Champagnie finished the season averaging 18.0 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals per game. He led the ACC in rebounding and double-double (14), while also ranking among the league leaders in scoring, field goal percentage, free throw percentage, defensive rebounds, offensive rebounds, blocked shots and minutes played. He is the first Pitt player to average a double-double for a season since DeJuan Blair (2009) and the first Panther to average at least 18 points and 10 rebounds since Billy Knight (1974).
For each of the nine geographic districts, ten players are selected as well as a player and coach of the year. Three schools – Alabama (Herbert Jones and coach Nate Oats), Baylor (Jared Butler and coach Scott Drew) and Gonzaga (Corey Kispert and coach Mark Few) – earned both the Player of the Year and Coach of the Year honors. Baylor's Butler and Drew repeated their District VII honors from a season ago while Luka Garza of Iowa was also a repeat player of the year in District VI.
Twenty-one Division I conferences are represented among the 90 players honored by the USBWA. The Big Ten, with 13 all-district players, leads all conferences, followed by the Big 12 with 11. The ACC and Big East each have nine players chosen to the various teams.
The USBWA will release its 2020-21 Men's All-America team tomorrow. From the 15 All-Americans, finalists for the Oscar Robertson Trophy (National Player of the Year) will be announced. In addition, finalists for the Wayman Tisdale Award (National Freshman Player of the Year) and the Henry Iba Award (National Coach of the Year) will be unveiled Wednesday, March 17. The Henry Iba Award will be announced on Friday, March 19, followed by the Wayman Tisdale Award next Tuesday, March 23. Finally, the 2021 Oscar Robertson Trophy will be announced in Indianapolis at the Final Four on Friday, April 2.
Champagnie is the 35th USBWA All-District Team selection for the Panthers and joins Sam Clancy (1979), Charles Smith (1986), Jerome Lane (1987), Sean Miller (1992), Jerry McCullough (1993), Carl Krauser (2004), DeJuan Blair (2009) and Ashton Gibbs (2010) as the only Pitt sophomores to earn all-district team accolades.
USBWA DISTRICT II
(N.Y., N.J., Delaware, D.C., Pa., W.V.)
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Villanova
COACH OF THE YEAR
Bob Huggins, West Virginia
ALL-DISTRICT TEAM
Jordan Burns, Colgate
Julian Champagnie, St. John's
Justin Champagnie, Pitt
Derek Culver, West Virginia
Collin Gillespie, Villanova
Ron Harper Jr., Rutgers
Kyle Lofton, St. Bonaventure
Sandro Mamukelashvili, Seton Hall
Miles McBride, West Virginia
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Villanova
Champagnie, the lone major conference player averaging a double-double this season, is joined on the District II team by his twin brother Julian Champagnie (St. John's), Jordan Burns (Colgate), Derek Culver (West Virginia), Collin Gillespie (Villanova), Ron Harper, Jr. (Rutgers), Kyle Lofton (St. Bonaventure), Sandro Mamukelashvili (Seton Hall), Miles McBride (West Virginia) and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (Villanova). Robinson-Earl was tabbed as the district player of the year, while Bob Huggins (West Virginia) was selected as District II Coach of the Year.
Champagnie finished the season averaging 18.0 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals per game. He led the ACC in rebounding and double-double (14), while also ranking among the league leaders in scoring, field goal percentage, free throw percentage, defensive rebounds, offensive rebounds, blocked shots and minutes played. He is the first Pitt player to average a double-double for a season since DeJuan Blair (2009) and the first Panther to average at least 18 points and 10 rebounds since Billy Knight (1974).
For each of the nine geographic districts, ten players are selected as well as a player and coach of the year. Three schools – Alabama (Herbert Jones and coach Nate Oats), Baylor (Jared Butler and coach Scott Drew) and Gonzaga (Corey Kispert and coach Mark Few) – earned both the Player of the Year and Coach of the Year honors. Baylor's Butler and Drew repeated their District VII honors from a season ago while Luka Garza of Iowa was also a repeat player of the year in District VI.
Twenty-one Division I conferences are represented among the 90 players honored by the USBWA. The Big Ten, with 13 all-district players, leads all conferences, followed by the Big 12 with 11. The ACC and Big East each have nine players chosen to the various teams.
The USBWA will release its 2020-21 Men's All-America team tomorrow. From the 15 All-Americans, finalists for the Oscar Robertson Trophy (National Player of the Year) will be announced. In addition, finalists for the Wayman Tisdale Award (National Freshman Player of the Year) and the Henry Iba Award (National Coach of the Year) will be unveiled Wednesday, March 17. The Henry Iba Award will be announced on Friday, March 19, followed by the Wayman Tisdale Award next Tuesday, March 23. Finally, the 2021 Oscar Robertson Trophy will be announced in Indianapolis at the Final Four on Friday, April 2.
Champagnie is the 35th USBWA All-District Team selection for the Panthers and joins Sam Clancy (1979), Charles Smith (1986), Jerome Lane (1987), Sean Miller (1992), Jerry McCullough (1993), Carl Krauser (2004), DeJuan Blair (2009) and Ashton Gibbs (2010) as the only Pitt sophomores to earn all-district team accolades.
USBWA DISTRICT II
(N.Y., N.J., Delaware, D.C., Pa., W.V.)
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Villanova
COACH OF THE YEAR
Bob Huggins, West Virginia
ALL-DISTRICT TEAM
Jordan Burns, Colgate
Julian Champagnie, St. John's
Justin Champagnie, Pitt
Derek Culver, West Virginia
Collin Gillespie, Villanova
Ron Harper Jr., Rutgers
Kyle Lofton, St. Bonaventure
Sandro Mamukelashvili, Seton Hall
Miles McBride, West Virginia
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Villanova
Players Mentioned
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