GREENSBORO, N.C. – Georgia Tech women’s basketball senior forward Zaire O’Neil has been named the ACC Sixth Player of the Year by the league’s head coaches, the conference office announced Wednesday morning.
O’Neil came off the bench in 28 games for the Jackets in 2017-18, having earned the start in only one contest. She is the team’s second leading scorer on the season, averaging 9.9 points per game overall and 10.1 points in league games. O’Neil is also second on the team in rebounding, pulling down 5.2 boards per game on average.
The senior from Newark, N.J., has scored in double-figures in 16 contests and posted eight games of 15-plus points or more. She recorded three double-doubles on the season and scored a season-high 24 points against Syracuse (Jan. 4). O’Neil is shooting .502 from the field to rank 14th in the conference and has also recorded 20 blocked shots and 23 steals, while averaging 20.2 minutes per game.
To be nominated for the award, a player may not have started in more than 1/3 of the team’s overall games (33 percent). Each school was allowed to nominate only one individual.
O’Neil is just the second Yellow Jacket in program history to earn the recognition – Alex Montgomery was the first, picking up the award in 2010.
The ACC individual awards were announced in conjunction with the start of the 2018 ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament, which tips off later today at the Greensboro Coliseum.
The Jackets are set to open the 2018 ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament on Wednesday, facing 15th-seeded Clemson. The opening tip in Greensboro Coliseum is set for 3:30 p.m. on RSN. The winner of the first round game will advance to the second round on Thursday to face 7th-seeded Virginia at 6 p.m.
Blue Ribbon Panel Awards
ACC Player of the Year: Asia Durr, Jr., G, Louisville
ACC Rookie of the Year: Janelle Bailey, Fr., F, North Carolina
ACC Coach of the Year: Jeff Walz, Louisville
Head Coaches Awards
ACC Player of the Year: Asia Durr, Jr., G, Louisville
ACC Rookie of the Year: Janelle Bailey, Fr., F, North Carolina
ACC Defensive Player of the Year: Lexie Brown, R-Sr., G, Duke
ACC Sixth Player of the Year: Zaire O’Neil, Sr., F, Georgia Tech
ACC Coach of the Year: Jeff Walz, Louisville
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