March 13, 2006

University of North Carolina forward Tyler Hansbrough was named first-team All-America today by The Sporting News, becoming the first Tar Heel men's basketball player to earn first-team All-America honors as a freshman.

Hansbrough was also named a third-team All-America today by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and was named the National Freshman of the Year by The Sporting News.

No other Tar Heel freshman had ever made first- , second- or third-team All-America. Antawn Jamison was an honorable mention pick by Basketball Weekly In 1996.

Hansbrough is joined on The Sporting News first team by Duke senior guard JJ Redick, Villanova senior guard Randy Foye, Washington senior guard Brandon Roy and Gonzaga junior forward Adam Morrison.

Hansbrough leads the Tar Heels with 19.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Last week, he was a unanimous selection to the Atlantic Coast Conference first team and was a unanimous choice as the ACC's Rookie of the Year. No other player in ACC history has been a unanimous first-team choice as a freshman or was a unanimous pick as Rookie of the Year.

The Poplar Bluff, Mo. Native is on pace to become the first Tar Heel freshman to lead the team in scoring and rebounding in the same year. He tied an ACC record by being named ACC Rookie of the Week 10 different times.

He set an ACC single-game freshman record on Feb. 15 when he scored 40 points in a win over Georgia Tech. That also set the Smith Center record for one game by any player.

He had 27 points and 10 rebounds in a win at No. 1 ranked Duke and was named first-team All-ACC Tournament after averaging 20 points and 9.5 rebounds against Virginia and Boston College.

Carolina is the No. 3 seed in the Washington, D.C. Regional and opens play Friday at 9:40 p.m. against 14th-seeded Murray State.

Sporting News All-America Teams First Team JJ Redick, Duke G (Player of Year) Randy Foye, Villanova G Brandon Roy, Washington G Adam Morrison, Gonzaga F Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina F

Second Team Allan Ray, Villanova G Chris Lofton, Tennessee G Leon Powe, California F Glen Davis, LSU F Shelden Williams, Duke, C

Sporting News All-Freshman Team Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina F (Freshman of Year) Brandon Rush, Kansas G Tyrus Thomas, LSU F Shawne Williams, Memphis F Dominic James, Marquette G

NABC All-America Teams First Team JJ Redick, Duke Adam Morrison, Gonzaga Rudy Gay, Connecticut Shelden Williams, Duke Randy Foye, Villanova

Second Team Dee Brown, Illinois Rodney Carney, Memphis Allan Ray, Villanova Brandon Roy, Washington Craig Smith, Boston College

Third Team LaMarcus Aldridge, Texas Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina Kevin Pittsnogle, West Virginia Chris Lofton, Tennessee PJ Tucker, Texas