Mars Hill’s Baxley, Presbyterian’s Collins Named to Academic All-District Men’s Basketball Team

CLINTON, S.C. - Mars Hill College's Walt Baxley has been named to the 2006 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) South Atlantic Regional All-District First Team, while Presbyterian College senior Johann Collins has been named to the second team.

Baxley is a 6'3" senior who is second in Division II in scoring at 28.1 ppg., a school record. He shot 42.9 percent from the floor (228 of 531), making a school-record 78 three-pointers in 211 attempts, and was 226 of 270 from the line (83.7 pct.). In addition, Baxley averaged 4.3 rpg. and 46 steals. Despite the Lions finishing with a 9-18 record, Baxley was named the South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year.

While playing three seasons at Mars Hill, Baxley accumulated 1,655 points, the seventh-highest total in school history and the fifth in South Atlantic Conference annals. A two-time All-SAC selection, he set the conference single-game scoring record with 42 points twice this season.

Collins, a 6-11, 225-pound center from Raleigh, N.C. (Christian Faith Center), also earned first team All-South Atlantic Conference honors after starting all 35 games this season for the Blue Hose and averaging a team-best 13.3 ppg, to go along with 6.8 rpg, and1.0 apg. In addition, he shot 54.8% from the floor, 77.2% from the free throw line, and led the team in blocks (18). Collins moved into elite company in program history this season when he became the 15th player under head coach Gregg Nibert's tenure to score his 1,000th career point, a milestone he reached against Mars Hill College on February 4.

Presbyterian College compiled a 25-10 overall record this past season including a 10-4 ledger in the South Atlantic Conference, good for a tie at second place, advanced to the finals of the 2006 Food Lion/SAC Tournament. The Blue Hose earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Tournament where they advanced to the semifinals.

2006 NABC Division II South Atlantic Region All-District Team
FIRST TEAM
Darius Hargrove Virginia Union
Duane Crockett Virginia Union
Charles Clark J.C. Smith
Walt Baxley Mars Hill
Jeremy Mayweather Georgia College & State
John Fulton J.C. Smith
SECOND TEAM
Antonio Fitzgerald Saint Augustine's
Claude Neeley Saint Augustine's
Ranson Antoine Columbus State
Derrick Payne Bowie State