Lehigh University senior guard C.J. McCollum was named a pre-season First Team All-American by The Sporting News, recognition reserved for the elite among college basketball’s best players.
Entering his senior season with 2,074 career points, McCollum joins Cody Zeller (Indiana), Doug McDermott (Creighton), James Michael McAdoo (North Carolina) and Deshaun Thomas (Ohio State) as First Team honorees.
McCollum, who after considering entering the NBA draft decided to return to Lehigh for his senior year, is second in Lehigh and Patriot League history in career scoring. He needs only 151 points to break the league mark of 2,224 held by Holy Cross’ Rob Feaster, while he’s 630 from breaking the school record of 2,703 currently held by Daren Queenan.
McCollum exploded onto the national stage in March during the Mountain Hawks’ historic NCAA tournament victory over Duke. McCollum starred in that game, scoring 30 points, while pulling down six rebounds and making six assists.
Lehigh opens the 2012-13 basketball season at Baylor University in Texas on Nov. 9. The Mountain Hawks' first home game at Stabler Arena is on Dec. 1 against Fairleigh Dickinson.
