OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – William & Mary's
Nathan Knight was named one of 10 national finalists for the 2019-20 Senior CLASS Award® on Wednesday. Knight becomes just the second Tribe men's basketball student-athlete to be named a finalist for the honor and the first since Quinn McDowell '12.
To be eligible for the award, student-athletes must be classified as NCAA Division I seniors and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition. An acronym for
Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their athletic platforms to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
The finalists were chosen by national media from the list of 30 candidates announced earlier in the season. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to help select the winner, and fans are encouraged to submit votes online at the
Senior CLASS Award website through March 23. Fan votes will be combined with those of the media and Division I head coaches to determine the winners.
Joining Knight on the list of 10 finalists are Udoka Azubuike (Kansas), Yoeli Childs (BYU), James Foye (Dartmouth), Markus Howard (Marquette), Skylar Mays (LSU), Sam Merrill (Utah State), Myles Powell (Seton Hall), Lamar Stevens (Penn State) and Cassius Winston (Michigan State). The Senior CLASS Award recipients will be announced during the 2020 NCAA Men's Final Four® and NCAA Women's Final Four®. For more information on each of the finalists, visit
seniorCLASSaward.com.
Knight is in the midst of an exceptional senior season, leading the Tribe the top of the Colonial Athletic Association standings at 8-3 and 16-8 overall. He leads the country in double-doubles with 18 and is one of only two players averaging 20 points (20.3) and 10 rebounds (10.6) per game. Knight ranks among the national top 20 in both scoring and rebounding. He adds nearly two assists (1.8) per game and is blocking a CAA-best 1.3 shots per contest. Knight is shooting 53.4% from the field, 32% from 3-point range and 78.9% at the free throw line this season.
Knight is one of just three players in NCAA Division I with 1,900 career points and 800 career rebounds. He ranks among the national leaders in a number of statistical categories, including first in double-doubles (18), sixth in defensive rebounds (8.0), seventh in total rebounds (255), eighth in field goals made (174), ninth in free throws made (116), ninth in total points (488), 12th in rebounds per game (10.6), 18th in points per game (20.3), 63rd in field goal % (53.4) and 92nd in total blocks (31).
A First Team All-CAA pick last season, Knight's name has been recognized nationally. He was named to the midseason watch lists for both the Lute Olson National Player of the Year and the Lou Henson Mid-Major Player of the Year awards, presented by CollegeInsider.com, after being named to the preseason lists. Knight was selected to the Oscar Robertson Trophy Watch List by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association in December. For the second-straight year, he was one of 20 players named to the watch list for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year award.
ABOUT THE AWARD
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the Senior CLASS Award honors the attributes of senior student-athletes in four areas: community, classroom, character and competition. The award program is designed exclusively for college seniors who are utilizing their complete athletic eligibility, remaining committed to their university and pursuing the many rewards a senior season can bring. Kansas City-based Premier Sports Management manages the award.
*NCAA and Final Four are trademarks owned or licensed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
