UNC Asheville's Drew Pember Voted 2023-24 Howard Bagwell Male Athlete of the Year
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) – UNC Asheville men’s basketball player
Drew Pember (Knoxville, Tenn.) has been voted the Big South Conference Howard Bagwell Male Athlete of the Year for the 2023-24 season by the league’s Athletics Directors, Senior Woman Administrators and Sports Information Directors, it was announced today by the conference office. The candidates for the annual award consist of the Players of the Year from each sport, and must be deemed eligible for the honor by their respective school. Pember is the fifth back-to-back recipient of the Howard Bagwell Male Athlete of the Year Award since the award began in 1999-00, but the first basketball player to earn the honor in consecutive years.
Pember was the first back-to-back Big South Men’s Basketball Player of the Year honoree since 2008-09, and just the seventh multiple winner in league history. His postseason accolades included the Lou Henson All-America Team for the second-straight year, NABC All-District First-Team honors, and Big South All-Tournament Team accolades. Pember concluded one of the most decorated careers in UNC Asheville men’s basketball history in 2023-24, as he was named Big South Player of the Week twice, recorded two triple-doubles -- becoming just the third Bulldog in program history to accomplish this feat and the school’s only individual with multiple efforts, he led the Big South in overall scoring at 20.6 points and was just the eighth player in league annals to average 20.0 points in back-to-back seasons. Pember finished the season fourth in the nation with 228 free throws made and was ninth in attempts. He posted a season-high 36 points and six 3-pointers against Winthrop on Feb. 3, had a season-high 16 rebounds against USC Upstate on Feb. 10, and played in the NABC Reese’s All-Star Game in April. Pember also competed in the prestigious Portsmouth Invitational Tournament as well as the NBA Summer League with the Memphis Grizzlies. He concluded his collegiate as the only player in Big South history with 1,900 points (1,902), 700 rebounds (795) and 200 blocked shots (236), and his all-time conference career rankings stand at No. 16 in points, No. 18 in rebounds and sixth in blocks.
He earned 67 points and six first-place votes in this year’s balloting, ahead of High Point thrower
Chris Van Niekerk (60 points, six first-place votes). Presbyterian baseball player
Joel Dragoo was third with 51 points (three first-place votes).
In March 2000, the Big South Conference Executive Committee voted to create an annual Male and Female Student-Athlete of the Year award, and named the male award in honor of former Charleston Southern Athletic Director
Howard Bagwell, who was one of the founders of the Big South Conference and an inaugural inductee into the league’s Hall of Fame. The Athlete of the Year awards have been presented annually since 1999-00, with the exception of 2019-20 due to the season being incomplete and eventually canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The annual Bagwell Male Athlete of the Year honorees are listed below.
HOWARD BAGWELL MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
2023-24 - Drew Pember, UNC Asheville (basketball)
2022-23 - Drew Pember, UNC Asheville (basketball)
2021-22 - Athanas Kioko, Campbell (cross country/track & field)
2020-21 - Athanas Kioko Campbell (cross country/track & field)
2018-19 - Chris Clemons, Campbell (basketball)
2017-18 - Amon Kemboi, Campbell (cross country/track & field)
2016-17 - Amon Terer, Campbell (cross country/track & field)
2015-16 - Andrew Beckwith, Coastal Carolina (baseball)
2014-15 - Quinn Backus, Coastal Carolina (football)
2013-14 - Lorenzo Taliaferro, Coastal Carolina (football)
2012-13 - Miguel Maysonet, Stony Brook (football)
2011-12 - Ashton Bennett, Coastal Carolina (soccer)
2010-11 - Sam Chelanga, Liberty (cross country/track & field)
2009-10 - Sam Chelanga, Liberty (cross country/track & field)
2008-09 - Sam Chelanga, Liberty (cross country/track & field)
2007-08 - Josh McDougal, Liberty (cross country/track & field)
2006-07 - Josh McDougal, Liberty (cross country/track & field)
2005-06 - Josh McDougal, Liberty (cross country/track & field)
2004-05 - Mike Costanzo, Coastal Carolina (baseball)
2003-04 - Joseph Ngwenya, Coastal Carolina (soccer)
2002-03 - Joseph Ngwenya, Coastal Carolina (soccer)
2001-02 - Justin Owens, Coastal Carolina (baseball)
2000-01 - Jason Colson, Winthrop (baseball)
1999-00 - Keith Butler, Liberty (baseball)