Illini freshman guard Keaton Wagler was named a second-team All-American by The Sporting News, according to a March 11 announcement. The selection was made by a panel of college basketball journalists and analysts, with The Sporting News being one of four selectors that make up the official NCAA consensus team.
This recognition highlights Wagler’s standout season for the University of Illinois Fighting Illini men’s basketball team. He earned several honors, including First-Team All-Big Ten, Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and spots as a finalist or nominee for national awards such as the West Award and Wooden Award National Ballot. Wagler is one of only three NCAA freshmen averaging at least 17 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4 assists per game this season.
Wagler leads the nation in offensive rating among players with significant usage and ranks sixth in the kenpom national player of the year standings. He broke Illinois’ freshman season scoring record with 554 points so far and is on pace to set a new all-time freshman scoring average for the program. During conference play, he averaged nearly 20 points per game and scored in double figures in each of his last 23 games. His nine games with at least 20 points are just one shy of another school record. Notably, he was named National Player of the Week after scoring a record-setting 46 points in a win over No. 4 Purdue on January 24.
The University of Illinois Fighting Illini men’s basketball team has a long history in collegiate athletics. According to the official website, it reached the NCAA Final Four in five different years: 1949, 1951, 1952, 1989, and 2005 according to the official website. The team plays its home games in Champaign, Illinois according to the official website and has won Big Ten Conference titles multiple times since its early years according to the official website. It competes as part of both NCAA Division I athletics and the Big Ten Conference according to the official website, using “Fighting Illini” as its athletics nickname according to the official website.
Wagler joins other top players from across college basketball on The Sporting News All-America teams. As his freshman campaign continues to draw attention nationally, observers will be watching how he finishes out what has already been an historic season.
