BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh senior guard C.J. McCollum was named a preseason Lute Olsen All-American while the Mountain Hawks were ranked sixth in the College Insider Mid-Major Top 25, as announced earlier this week. A postseason All-American in 2011-12, McCollum is one of 25 players nationally on the list. He is now eligible for Lute Olsen National Player of the Year laurels, which last season went to Creighton’s Doug McDermott.
McCollum and Bucknell’s Mike Muscala were two Patriot League student-athletes recognized on College Insider’s All-America team. In total, 10 of the 25 honorees came from mid-major schools; the Patriot League joined the West Coast Conference as the only mid-major conferences with multiple players on the team.
The All-America honor marks McCollum’s third of the preseason, also garnering First Team laurels from the Associated Press and Sporting News. The Canton, Ohio native is in elite company, joining players from Indiana, Ohio State, Michigan, Creighton and Murray State as AP All-Americans.
McCollum enters his senior season with 2,074 career points while he led the team in points, rebounds and assists a season ago. He’s twice been named Patriot League Player of the Year while earning the league’s Preseason Player of the Year for a third straight season. McCollum has won two championships over his first three seasons, owning a combined record of 65-34 as a collegiate basketball player.
Lehigh was also recognized in College Insider’s Mid-Major Top 25, coming in at #6, only behind Creighton, Gonzaga, Murray State, Drexel and Ohio. Bucknell is also ranked, coming in at #16.
The Lute Olson Award is named in honor of coaching great Lute Olson, who won 780 games in 34 seasons, 24 of which were spent at the University of Arizona. During that stretch he led the Wildcats to 11 Pac-10 Conference titles, 23 consecutive NCAA Tournaments, four Final Four appearances and a National Championship in 1997.
The Mountain Hawks open their season on Friday when they travel to Waco, Texas to face the #19/18 Baylor Bears. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. ET and can be seen regionally on Fox Sports Southwest and heard on ESPN Radio 1230 and 1320, and Lehighsports.com.
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2012-13 PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAM
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Kenny Boynton
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6-2
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Sr.
|
Florida
|
|
Trey Burke
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6-0
|
So.
|
Michigan
|
|
Isaiah Canaan
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6-0
|
Jr.
|
Murray State
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|
D.J. Cooper
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5-11
|
Jr.
|
Ohio
|
|
Aaron Craft
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6-2
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Jr.
|
Ohio State
|
|
Brandon Davies
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6-9
|
Sr.
|
BYU
|
|
Matthew Dellavedova
|
6-4
|
Sr.
|
St. Mary’s
|
|
Michael Dixon
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6-1
|
Sr.
|
Missouri
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|
Jamaal Franklin
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6-5
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Jr.
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San Diego State
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|
Pierre Jackson
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5-10
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Sr.
|
Baylor
|
|
C.J. Leslie
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6-9
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Jr.
|
NC State
|
|
Trevor Mbakwe
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6-8
|
Sr.
|
Minnesota
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|
James McADoo
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6-9
|
So.
|
North Carolina
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|
Ray McCallum
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6-3
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Jr.
|
Detroit
|
|
Doug McDermott
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6-8
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Jr.
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Creighton
|
|
C.J. McCollum
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6-3
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Sr.
|
Lehigh
|
|
Tony Mitchell
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6-8
|
So.
|
North Texas
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|
Mike Moser
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6-8
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Jr.
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UNLV
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|
Mike Muscala
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6-11
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Sr.
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Bucknell
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Phil Pressey
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5-11
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Jr.
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Missouri
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|
Michael Snaer
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6-5
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Sr.
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Florida State
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|
Deshaun Thomas
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6-7
|
Jr.
|
Ohio State
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|
Jeff Withey
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7-0
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Sr.
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Kansas
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|
Nate Wolters
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6-4
|
Sr.
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South Dakota State
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|
Cody Zeller
|
7-0
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S0.
|
Indiana
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