Armstrong Named WAC Freshman Of The Year
3/7/2022 11:21:00 AM | Men's Basketball
DENVER --- The Western Athletic Conference announced the 2022 All-WAC teams on Monday, as California Baptist University's Taran Armstrong was named the WAC Freshman of the Year.
𝐖𝐀𝐂 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 🏆
— California Baptist Men's Basketball (@CBUmbb) March 7, 2022
Taran Armstrong brings home the first WAC Freshman of the Year award in the program's D1 history!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/1fSVx4N1Hc
It marks the first WAC Freshman of the Year award for the men's basketball program and is the third top honor the Lancers have garnered since joining the Western Athletic Conference in the 2018-19 season. Armstrong joins Milan Acquaah and Brandon Boyd as the three players to grab the top awards, as Acquaah and Boyd swept the WAC Player of the Year and WAC Newcomer of the Year, respectively, in the 2019-20 season.
Armstrong, a 6-foot-5 point guard from Burnie, Australia, was no stranger to WAC awards on the season as he recently closed out the regular season with his fifth TicketSmarter WAC Men's Basketball Freshman of the Week award.
5⃣ Freshman of the Week awards!
— The Western Athletic Conference (@WACsports) March 6, 2022
🏀 Helped Lancers to a pair of victories
📽️ @TicketSmarter #WAChoops Men's Freshman of the Week 17 - @CBUmbb Taran Armstrong ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/77GxJNJP5Q
Despite missing seven of the conference games due to a non-related COVID illness, Armstrong grabbed the top award with an average of 10.2 points, 5.5 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game in his first WAC season as a Lancer.
On the season, Armstrong is averaging 10.5 points, 6.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game. He is currently the only freshman in the NCAA to average over 10 points, six assists and five rebounds per game on the year. The last freshman guard to record a 10/6/5 average on the season came from Ja Morant of Murray State in the 2017-18 season. Armstrong is currently fourth in the NCAA in assists per game.
He's a magician with the ball!
— California Baptist Men's Basketball (@CBUmbb) December 3, 2021
- Everyone#LanceUp⚔ pic.twitter.com/SaPJJCw1DM
His passing and ability to control the game have gained national attention throughout the year. On Dec. 7, 2021, Armstrong broke the single-game program record with 15 assists in the 89-71 victory over North Dakota.
His court vision was on full display all night and even drew attention from Oklahoma City Rookie Josh Giddey, who is among the top players in the NBA for Rookie of the Year.
best passer in college ball https://t.co/NdeNqDWU6H
— josh giddey (@joshgiddey) December 8, 2021
The Lancers will head to Las Vegas this week as the No. 8 seed and face No. 9 seed UT Rio Grande Valley on Tuesday, March 8, at 6 p.m. for the opening round.
