University of North Carolina forward Tyler Hansbrough is the first freshman in Atlantic Coast Conference men's basketball history to earn unanimous first-team All-ACC honors. Hansbrough, Carolina's leading scorer and rebounder, joins Duke guard J.J. Redick and Blue Devil center Shelden Williams as unanimous selections on the 2006 All-ACC First Team. All 108 members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association selected Hansbrough, Redick and Williams.
Joining them on the first team are Boston College center Craig Smith (with 91 votes) and Virginia point guard Sean Singletary (51 votes).
Hansbrough is only the sixth freshman in ACC history to earn first-team honors. The previous five include Skip Wise of Clemson in 1975, Kenny Anderson of Georgia Tech in 1990, Joe Smith of Maryland in 1994, Antawn Jamison of UNC in 1996 and Stephon Marbury of Georgia Tech in 1996.
Tar Heel senior forward David Noel earned second-team All-ACC honors and junior forward Reyshawn Terry was named to the third team. This is the second consecutive year all three members of Carolina's starting frontcourt have been All-ACC selections. Last year, center Sean May was a first-team pick and forwards Rashad McCants and Jawad Williams were third-team choices.
Seven different Tar Heels have earned All-ACC (first-, second- or third-team honors) in the last two years. That is the highest number of UNC players selected over a two-year span since the ACC began selecting three teams in 1989-90. The previous high was six in 1995-96 and 1996-97.
Hansbrough was also a unanimous pick for the ACC's All-Freshman Team and was joined on the squad by Tar Heel point guard Bobby Frasor. Duke's Greg Paulus and Josh McRoberts and Boston College's Tyrese Rice also made the All-Freshman Team.
This is the third time in 14 years that two UNC players made the All-Freshman Team. Jerry Stackhouse and Rasheed Wallace were selected in 1994 and Raymond Felton and Rashad McCants earned the honor in 2003.
The ACC Player, Rookie, Defender and Coach of the Year will be announced tomorrow (March 7).
Additionally, Hansbrough was named the ACC Co-Player of the Week following his performance in wins over Virginia and Duke and was the ACC Rookie of the Week for a record-tying 10th time. Hansbrough had 27 points and 10 rebounds in Carolina's 83-76 win at No. 1 Duke and had 13 points and a game-high eight rebounds in a 99-54 win over Virginia last week.
Hansbrough is the first freshman to earn ACC Player of the Week honors since Jason Williams of Duke was named the 2000 ACC Tournament MVP. Hansbrough is the first rookie to win the player of the week award during the regular season since UNC's Jamison in 1996.
The rookie of the week honor is Hansbrough's 10th this season. That ties the ACC record with Georgia Tech's Anderson in 1990.
