OMAHA, Neb. -- Creighton University guard Marcus Zegarowski has been named an Honorable Mention Preseason All-American by the Associated Press.
Zegarowski is the first Creighton player to log Preseason All-American acclaim by the Associated Press, since Doug McDermott earned First Team preseason accolades in both 2012-13 and 2013-14. Not only would McDermott attain First Team All-America accolades at the end of both seasons, but also be named AP National Player of the Year in 2013-14. The son of current Creighton head coach Greg McDermott, Doug McDermott remains the nation's only player named a First Team All-American by the AP three times since 1985.
Iowa's Luka Garza was a unanimous choice and headlines the First Team, where he's joined by Baylor's Jared Butler, Oklahoma State's Cade Cunningham, Illinois' Ayo Dosunmu, Gonzaga's Corey Kispert and Arizona State's Remy Martin. Zegarowski had the seventh-most votes with 22, four behind Kispert and Martin for the final spot on the First Team.
Since the AP began naming a preseason All-America team in 1986-87, the eventual AP National Player of the Year was a preseason First Team pick in just 22 of the 34 seasons. In those same 34 seasons, only 80 of the eventual 170 men named First Team All-American at years end did so after earning similar preseason acclaim from the AP.
Being named a Preseason Associated Press All-American is the latest accolade for Zegarowski as the Hamilton, Mass., native, looks to build on his 16.1 points, 5.1 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game in 2019-20. The rising junior played his best in some of CU's biggest games, averaging 18.9 points per game while shooting 60.4 percent from the field and 51.4 percent from three-point range in eight games (six wins) against top-25 foes. Zegarowski ranked third in the BIG EAST in assists per game (5.1), third in three-point percentage (.424), fifth in assist/turnover ratio (1.95), sixth in three-pointers made per game (2.42), sixth in points per game (16.1), sixth in minutes per game (34.6) and 11th in field goal percentage (.488). He was named an All-American by NBC Sports, Stadium and the Associated Press last season, and already has been named Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year, Preseason All-American by Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, Basketball Times and CBS Sports, and to the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Watch List.
Zegarowski and the Bluejays will open the 2020-21 season on November 25 with a game in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, against South Dakota State as part of the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic.
First Team (Votes)
Luka Garza (64), Iowa
Jared Butler (61), Baylor
Ayo Dosunmu (38), Illinois
Cade Cunningham (31), Oklahoma State
Corey Kispert (26), Gonzaga
Remy Martin (26), Arizona State
Others receiving votes: Marcus Zegarowski, Creighton 22; Collin Gillespie, Villanova 14; Garrison Brooks, North Carolina 10; Marcus Garrett, Kansas 9; Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana, 5; Jalen Crutcher, Dayton, 3; Trendon Watford, LSU, 3; Kofi Cockburn, Illinois, 2; Oliver Sarr, Kentucky, 1; Kihei Clark, Virginia, 1; Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Villanova, 1; Javonte Smart, LSU, 1; Oscar Tshiebwe, West Virginia, 1; Sam Hauser, Virginia, 1.
Creighton University Athletics
Marcus Zegarowski
Photo by: Mark Kuhlmann
Marcus Zegarowski Named Honorable Mention Preseason All-American by Associated Press
11/11/2020 3:20:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Junior guard adds to preseason acclaim with honor from the AP
Players Mentioned
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