Monday, February 26, 2007

TUSCULUM’S CHRIS POORE EARNS SAC BASKETBALL HONORS

ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Tusculum College senior guard Chris Poore has been named the 2006-07 South Atlantic Conference Men’s Basketball Scholar Athlete of the Year announced league officials Monday. Poore was also named to the All-Conference First Team as selected by the conference’s nine basketball coaches.

The Greeneville, Tenn. native becomes the second player in school history to be named the SAC Scholar Athlete for men’s basketball, which is presented to one athlete from each of the league's 14 sports programs and represents a combination of athletic skill, academic achievement, and participation in community service and leadership roles.

The Greeneville High School graduate has a 3.44 cumulative grade point average as a physical education major. He has been named to the SAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll, the Tusculum Athletic Director’s Honor Roll, the Tusculum Dean’s List and is a member of the Tusculum Physical Education Club.

Poore leads the Pioneers in scoring and rebounding and is eighth in the league in scoring (15.3 ppg) and 10th in rebounding (5.7 rpg). He ranks sixth all-time in field-goal percentage at Tusculum.

On campus and in the community, Poore volunteers with Nettie Day service projects and Boys and Girls Club projects. He has participated in reading to elementary school students and coached a youth softball team. He was a volunteer for Relay for Life and assists with Bible study at a local church.

Tusculum junior forward Jordan Lear was named the league statistical champion for three-point field goal percentage as the Zanesville, Ohio native is shooting 47.7 percent from beyond the arc.

Monroe, Mich. senior guard Tyler White also earned SAC statistical champion status, by leading the conference in assist/turnover ratio (2.31).

As a team, the Pioneers were SAC statistical champions for field goal percentage defense, limiting the opposition to shoot only 40.9 percent from the floor.

Tusculum (13-14) will be the No. 6 seed in this year’s Food Lion SAC Tournament and will open quarterfinal action on Wednesday when the Pioneers travel to third-seeded Wingate University for an 8 p.m. contest.

- SAC –

2006-07 All-South Atlantic Conference Men’s Basketball Team
FIRST TEAM
Brian Graves, Catawba
Chris Wooldridge, Catawba
Reggie Bratton, Lenoir-Rhyne
Sean Dixon, Presbyterian
Chris Poore, Tusculum
Sean Barnette, Wingate
Justin Baker, Wingate

SECOND TEAM
Kente Hart, Carson-Newman
Josh Kindred, Lenoir-Rhyne
Clemente Martin, Newberry
Grant Herren, Presbyterian
Bryan Grier, Wingate

ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Jordan Dixon, Carson-Newman
Antonio Houston, Catawba
Beau Brown, Lincoln Memorial
Stoney Polite, Mars Hill
Kendrick Johnson, Newberry

SAC COACH OF THE YEAR:  Jim Baker, Catawba
SAC PLAYER OF THE YEAR:  Sean Barnette, Wingate
SAC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:  Antonio Houston, Catawba
SAC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE:  Chris Poore, Tusculum