Troy University Athletics
Zay Williams Collects All-Sun Belt Third Team Nod
10/17/2022 2:00:00 PM | Basketball (M)
TROY, Ala. – Troy men's basketball senior forward Zay Williams receives a Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team nod one year removed from averaging a team-high 24.9 minutes to help achieve 20 wins, the league office announced Monday afternoon.
"Zay Williams is extremely deserving of his All-SBC recognition," head coach Scott Cross said. "Zay works extremely hard and is a great leader and teammate. He's very talented and is one of the most coachable players that I have ever been around. I believe that Zay will receive even more recognition at the end of the season because I believe he is going to have an amazing year for us."
Standing 6-9, Williams ranked eighth in the Sun Belt with 6.5 rebounds per game for a total of 196 while putting up 7.8 points and dishing out one assist per game. The Parker High School graduate scored double figures last year in 10 games, with his season-high of 18 points coming over ULM.
Despite being positioned as a forward, Williams continues to be an elite threat from deep, with the best 3-point percentage for Troy last season (min. 10 shots) at 41.5 percent. Also, he rejected the opposition's shot more than any other player on the roster at 17 total blocks.
After four years of play, the Birmingham native looks to continue to cement his name in the Troy record books. Through 2,198 minutes played, Williams ranks fifth all-time in rebounds (576) and seventh in blocks (81).
Williams helps Troy earn back-to-back preseason team nods after Nick Stampley earned All-Sun Belt Third Team last season.
The preseason coaches' polls have Troy seated as the underdog with a 10th-place ranking despite coming off a historic season.
Nov. 7 marks the season opener for Troy against Montevallo as Williams aims to lead the team to back-to-back 20-win seasons and postseason births.
2022-23 Sun Belt Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Louisiana - 190 (10)
2. Texas State - 162 (1)
3. South Alabama - 150 (1)
4. James Madison - 149 (1)
5. Georgia State - 127 (1)
6. Marshall - 122
7. App State - 120
8. Coastal Carolina - 100
9. Old Dominion - 93
10. Troy - 76
11. Georgia Southern - 69
12. Arkansas State - 48
13. Southern Miss - 34
14. ULM – 30
2022-23 Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year
Jordan Brown, Louisiana (JR | F | Roseville, Calif.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
Jordan Brown, Louisiana (JR | F | Roseville, Calif.)
Mason Harrell, Texas State (SR | G | Midwest City, Okla.)
Taevion Kinsey, Marshall (SR | G | Columbus, Ohio)
Vado Morse, James Madison (R-SR | G | Suitland, Md.)
Kevin Samuel, South Alabama (GR | C | Codrington Village, Barbuda)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team
Donovan Gregory, App State (SR | F | Charlotte, N.C.)
Felipe Haase, Southern Miss (GR | F | Osorno, Chile)
Kobe Julien, Louisiana (R-SO | F | Baton Rouge, La.)
Essam Mostafa, Coastal Carolina (R-JR | C | Cairo, Egypt)
Greg Parham II, South Alabama (GR | G | Richmond, Va.)
Preseason All Sun-Belt Third Team
Kamdyn Curfman, Marshall (JR | G | North Bethesda, Md.)
Caleb Fields, Arkansas State (JR | G | Lewisburg, Tenn.)
Nika Metskhvarishvili, ULM (JR | F | Tbilisi, Georgia)
Andrew Taylor, Marshall (R-JR | G | Corbin, Ky.)
Zay Williams, Troy (SR | F | Birmingham, Ala.)
"Zay Williams is extremely deserving of his All-SBC recognition," head coach Scott Cross said. "Zay works extremely hard and is a great leader and teammate. He's very talented and is one of the most coachable players that I have ever been around. I believe that Zay will receive even more recognition at the end of the season because I believe he is going to have an amazing year for us."
Standing 6-9, Williams ranked eighth in the Sun Belt with 6.5 rebounds per game for a total of 196 while putting up 7.8 points and dishing out one assist per game. The Parker High School graduate scored double figures last year in 10 games, with his season-high of 18 points coming over ULM.
Despite being positioned as a forward, Williams continues to be an elite threat from deep, with the best 3-point percentage for Troy last season (min. 10 shots) at 41.5 percent. Also, he rejected the opposition's shot more than any other player on the roster at 17 total blocks.
After four years of play, the Birmingham native looks to continue to cement his name in the Troy record books. Through 2,198 minutes played, Williams ranks fifth all-time in rebounds (576) and seventh in blocks (81).
Williams helps Troy earn back-to-back preseason team nods after Nick Stampley earned All-Sun Belt Third Team last season.
The preseason coaches' polls have Troy seated as the underdog with a 10th-place ranking despite coming off a historic season.
Nov. 7 marks the season opener for Troy against Montevallo as Williams aims to lead the team to back-to-back 20-win seasons and postseason births.
2022-23 Sun Belt Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Louisiana - 190 (10)
2. Texas State - 162 (1)
3. South Alabama - 150 (1)
4. James Madison - 149 (1)
5. Georgia State - 127 (1)
6. Marshall - 122
7. App State - 120
8. Coastal Carolina - 100
9. Old Dominion - 93
10. Troy - 76
11. Georgia Southern - 69
12. Arkansas State - 48
13. Southern Miss - 34
14. ULM – 30
2022-23 Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year
Jordan Brown, Louisiana (JR | F | Roseville, Calif.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
Jordan Brown, Louisiana (JR | F | Roseville, Calif.)
Mason Harrell, Texas State (SR | G | Midwest City, Okla.)
Taevion Kinsey, Marshall (SR | G | Columbus, Ohio)
Vado Morse, James Madison (R-SR | G | Suitland, Md.)
Kevin Samuel, South Alabama (GR | C | Codrington Village, Barbuda)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team
Donovan Gregory, App State (SR | F | Charlotte, N.C.)
Felipe Haase, Southern Miss (GR | F | Osorno, Chile)
Kobe Julien, Louisiana (R-SO | F | Baton Rouge, La.)
Essam Mostafa, Coastal Carolina (R-JR | C | Cairo, Egypt)
Greg Parham II, South Alabama (GR | G | Richmond, Va.)
Preseason All Sun-Belt Third Team
Kamdyn Curfman, Marshall (JR | G | North Bethesda, Md.)
Caleb Fields, Arkansas State (JR | G | Lewisburg, Tenn.)
Nika Metskhvarishvili, ULM (JR | F | Tbilisi, Georgia)
Andrew Taylor, Marshall (R-JR | G | Corbin, Ky.)
Zay Williams, Troy (SR | F | Birmingham, Ala.)
Players Mentioned
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