North Carolina forward Tyler Hansbrough is the unanimous selection as the 2006 Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman of the Year and Roy Williams won ACC Coach of the Year honors by an overwhelming margin in balloting released today by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association.
Yesterday, Hansbrough became the first player in ACC history to be a unanimous first-team all-conference selection as a freshman. He is the seventh Tar Heel to win the Freshman of the Year award and the second in as many years under Roy Williams.
Hansbrough was also the only player other than Duke guard J.J. Redick to receive votes as the ACC Player of the Year. Redick won the award with 105 of 108 ballots cast.
Other UNC Freshman of the Year include: Sam Perkins (1981), Michael Jordan (1982), J.R. Reid (1987), Ed Cota (1997), Joseph Forte (2000) and Marvin Williams (2005).
Roy Williams is the fourth different UNC coach to win ACC honors. Dean Smith won a record eight times (1967, 1968, 1971, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1988 and 1993), Frank McGuire won in 1957 and Bill Guthridge won in 1998.
Williams was selected on 94 of 108 ballots. Duke's Mike Krzyzewski was second with six votes, Virginia's Dave Leitao was third (5) and Florida State's Leonard Hamilton was fourth (3).
This season marks the eighth time in 18 years as a head coach that Williams has won Coach of the Year honors. He was Big Eight or Big 12 Coach of the Year seven times while leading the Kansas Jayhawks (1990, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2002 and 2003).
Senior David Noel joined the awards parade today, as well. Noel and Hansbrough were selected to the 10-man United States Basketball Writers Association District III team (includes players from North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland and Virginia). Williams is the USBWA District Coach of the Year.
Hansbrough also was named to the final ballot for the Wooden Award and Rupp Award as National Player of the Year and was selected the National Freshman of the Year by SI.com's Seth Davis. Williams was selected by Davis as the National Coach of the Year.
