Ross named candidate for prestigious Senior CLASS Award
1/4/2018 2:12:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Complete Senior CLASS Award Release
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Lehigh men's basketball standout Kahron Ross has been named one of just 30 candidate nation-wide for the Senior CLASS Award, as announced on Thursday. The Lehigh and Patriot League career assists leader joins a long list of Mountain Hawks recognized by the prestigious award. Most recently, both Tim Kempton and Austin Price were named candidates last year, and Kempton was a finalist. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School ®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.Â
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The award focuses on four areas of excellence - community, classroom, character and competition. Ross is one of just three honorees from the Patriot League, along with Shawn Anderson (Navy) and Luke Morrison (Army West Point). Prior to the honors from Kempton and Price last year, C.J. McCollum and Gabe Knutson were named candidates in 2012-13. McCollum went on to be named a finalist and a first team Senior CLASS All-American. Marquis Hall was a finalist in 2009-10.
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Ross is a theatre major at a well-regarded academic institution Lehigh University, which is ranked 46th in U.S. News and World Reports' Best Colleges. Lehigh is ranked as the 59th hardest college in America to get into (a ranking based on acceptance rates and SAT/ACT scores using data from the U.S. Department of Education). Lehigh is also ranked by Forbes at No. 67 among top colleges in America, and ranked as the No. 33 research institution.
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As a starting point guard from day one, Ross has been a steady leader for the Mountain Hawks. This season, he was named co-captain, looking to lead a young team back to prominence. Ross has helped lead Lehigh to two straight Patriot League Championship Games for the first time in school history. Ross was also named a captain his sophomore year, a season which ended with a home game in the league title game against Holy Cross. The Mountain Hawks began that season with an 0-7 record, but Ross helped keep the team together and it paid off as Lehigh had an 11-game winning streak bridging the end of the regular season and beginning of the Patriot League Tournament. Ross has helped lead a young Lehigh team in 2017-18, which has wins over defending Ivy League Champion Princeton and reigning NEC Champion Mount St. Mary's.
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Ross has given back to the community through a number of Lehigh Athletics and Lehigh men's basketball initiatives. Ross has taken part in the Reading Rocks program at local Donegan Elementary School. With Reading Rocks, the whole team spends approximately one hour with the students, helping them read before getting to know the youngsters through playing games and other activities. In addition, Ross has been part of Adopt-A-Family where the Mountain Hawks provide a holiday for a local underprivileged family. The process includes shopping for gifts, wrapping them and delivering them in early December.
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Ross has also attended a number of school visits around Bethlehem with the Lehigh men's basketball team. The Mountain Hawks have been involved with the National Association of Basketball Coaches' (NABC) Stay in to Win program. Ross and the Mountain Hawks speak to the students about five keys to success: stay in school and graduate, create a success team and success plan, learn and practice decision-making skills, improve academic performance and focus on personal development.
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This past summer, Ross traveled with Athletes in Action for its East Asia tour. Athletes in Action is a faith-centered global sports organization serving coaches and players. The major emphasis is sending competitive teams of all collegiate levels around the world. To learn more about Ross' experience, please click here.
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Impressive on the court, Ross has been named All-Patriot League following each of his first three seasons. He was named the league's Rookie of the Year as a freshman, while garnering third team All-League as well. He was then named first team All-Patriot League as a sophomore and second team All-League as a junior. Ross has started from day one at point guard, helping lead the program to two consecutive Patriot League Championship Games. On Tuesday at Navy, Ross became the league's all-time leader in career assists with 600, passing Jave Meade '04 of Holy Cross and his 599. Last month, Ross passed Mackey McKnight as Lehigh's all-time career leader in that category. Ross now holds the Lehigh game (14), season (194) and career records (600, and counting) for assists.
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As a freshman, Ross was named Patriot League Rookie of the Week five times and ECAC Rookie of the Week on three occasions. Ross won the Lehigh Athletics' J.D. Nolan Award, presented to the outstanding first-year male student-athlete who exhibits talent, a high level of competitiveness and consistent mental, physical and emotional toughness in executing his role. Ross has scored 1,141 career points, good for 24th in school history. He is averaging a career-high 12.8 points per game so far as a senior and for his career, is averaging 10.8 points and 5.7 assists in 106 games. Ross stands No. 5 nationally in career assists among active players and was named Patriot League Player of the Week last month for the first time in his career.
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One of Ross' top career highlights was a school record 14 assists in his freshman season at Arizona State, leading the Mountain Hawks to a thrilling triple overtime victory against the Sun Devils. All 14 of his assists came by the end of regulation. He hit a clutch jumper with less than 10 seconds remaining in the second overtime to force a third OT period. In Ross' Lehigh tenure, he's led the Mountain Hawks to three wins over power conference schools: DePaul, Arizona State and Mississippi State.
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Ross and the Mountain Hawks are set to return home on Friday to host Holy Cross at 6 p.m. Tickets are on sale and can be purchased online by clicking here. Fans can also get a $1 ticket at the door by bringing an unwanted Christmas gift for donation to New Bethany Ministries.
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Like Lehigh Men's Basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Lehigh men's basketball standout Kahron Ross has been named one of just 30 candidate nation-wide for the Senior CLASS Award, as announced on Thursday. The Lehigh and Patriot League career assists leader joins a long list of Mountain Hawks recognized by the prestigious award. Most recently, both Tim Kempton and Austin Price were named candidates last year, and Kempton was a finalist. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School ®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.Â
Â
The award focuses on four areas of excellence - community, classroom, character and competition. Ross is one of just three honorees from the Patriot League, along with Shawn Anderson (Navy) and Luke Morrison (Army West Point). Prior to the honors from Kempton and Price last year, C.J. McCollum and Gabe Knutson were named candidates in 2012-13. McCollum went on to be named a finalist and a first team Senior CLASS All-American. Marquis Hall was a finalist in 2009-10.
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Ross is a theatre major at a well-regarded academic institution Lehigh University, which is ranked 46th in U.S. News and World Reports' Best Colleges. Lehigh is ranked as the 59th hardest college in America to get into (a ranking based on acceptance rates and SAT/ACT scores using data from the U.S. Department of Education). Lehigh is also ranked by Forbes at No. 67 among top colleges in America, and ranked as the No. 33 research institution.
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As a starting point guard from day one, Ross has been a steady leader for the Mountain Hawks. This season, he was named co-captain, looking to lead a young team back to prominence. Ross has helped lead Lehigh to two straight Patriot League Championship Games for the first time in school history. Ross was also named a captain his sophomore year, a season which ended with a home game in the league title game against Holy Cross. The Mountain Hawks began that season with an 0-7 record, but Ross helped keep the team together and it paid off as Lehigh had an 11-game winning streak bridging the end of the regular season and beginning of the Patriot League Tournament. Ross has helped lead a young Lehigh team in 2017-18, which has wins over defending Ivy League Champion Princeton and reigning NEC Champion Mount St. Mary's.
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Ross has given back to the community through a number of Lehigh Athletics and Lehigh men's basketball initiatives. Ross has taken part in the Reading Rocks program at local Donegan Elementary School. With Reading Rocks, the whole team spends approximately one hour with the students, helping them read before getting to know the youngsters through playing games and other activities. In addition, Ross has been part of Adopt-A-Family where the Mountain Hawks provide a holiday for a local underprivileged family. The process includes shopping for gifts, wrapping them and delivering them in early December.
Â
Ross has also attended a number of school visits around Bethlehem with the Lehigh men's basketball team. The Mountain Hawks have been involved with the National Association of Basketball Coaches' (NABC) Stay in to Win program. Ross and the Mountain Hawks speak to the students about five keys to success: stay in school and graduate, create a success team and success plan, learn and practice decision-making skills, improve academic performance and focus on personal development.
Â
This past summer, Ross traveled with Athletes in Action for its East Asia tour. Athletes in Action is a faith-centered global sports organization serving coaches and players. The major emphasis is sending competitive teams of all collegiate levels around the world. To learn more about Ross' experience, please click here.
Â
Impressive on the court, Ross has been named All-Patriot League following each of his first three seasons. He was named the league's Rookie of the Year as a freshman, while garnering third team All-League as well. He was then named first team All-Patriot League as a sophomore and second team All-League as a junior. Ross has started from day one at point guard, helping lead the program to two consecutive Patriot League Championship Games. On Tuesday at Navy, Ross became the league's all-time leader in career assists with 600, passing Jave Meade '04 of Holy Cross and his 599. Last month, Ross passed Mackey McKnight as Lehigh's all-time career leader in that category. Ross now holds the Lehigh game (14), season (194) and career records (600, and counting) for assists.
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As a freshman, Ross was named Patriot League Rookie of the Week five times and ECAC Rookie of the Week on three occasions. Ross won the Lehigh Athletics' J.D. Nolan Award, presented to the outstanding first-year male student-athlete who exhibits talent, a high level of competitiveness and consistent mental, physical and emotional toughness in executing his role. Ross has scored 1,141 career points, good for 24th in school history. He is averaging a career-high 12.8 points per game so far as a senior and for his career, is averaging 10.8 points and 5.7 assists in 106 games. Ross stands No. 5 nationally in career assists among active players and was named Patriot League Player of the Week last month for the first time in his career.
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One of Ross' top career highlights was a school record 14 assists in his freshman season at Arizona State, leading the Mountain Hawks to a thrilling triple overtime victory against the Sun Devils. All 14 of his assists came by the end of regulation. He hit a clutch jumper with less than 10 seconds remaining in the second overtime to force a third OT period. In Ross' Lehigh tenure, he's led the Mountain Hawks to three wins over power conference schools: DePaul, Arizona State and Mississippi State.
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Ross and the Mountain Hawks are set to return home on Friday to host Holy Cross at 6 p.m. Tickets are on sale and can be purchased online by clicking here. Fans can also get a $1 ticket at the door by bringing an unwanted Christmas gift for donation to New Bethany Ministries.
Â
Like Lehigh Men's Basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
Men's Basketball 2017-18 Candidates
| Name | Position | School |
| Grayson Allen | Guard | Duke University |
| Shawn Anderson | Guard | Navy |
| Braian Angola | Guard | Florida State University |
| Joel Berry II | Point Guard | University of North Carolina |
| Trevon Bluiett | Guard | Xavier University |
| Vladimir Brodziansky | Forward | TCU |
| Jevon Carter | Guard | West Virginia University |
| Gary Clark | Forward | Cincinnati |
| Angel Delgado | Center | Seton Hall University |
| Ben Emelogu II | Guard | SMU |
| Marcus Foster | Guard | Creighton |
| Rob Gray | Guard | University of Houston |
| Rokas Gustys | Forward/Center | Hofstra University |
| A.J. Jacobson | Guard/Forward | North Dakota State University |
| Justin Johnson | Forward | Western Kentucky University |
| Kodi Justice | Guard | Arizona State |
| Marcus Lee | Forward | California |
| Yante Maten | Forward | University of Georgia |
| Bryant McIntosh | Guard | Northwestern University |
| Jordan McLaughlin | Point Guard | USC |
| Luke Morrison | Forward | U.S. Military Academy |
| Cameron Morse | Guard | Youngstown State University |
| Albert Owens | Forward | Oral Roberts University |
| Wesley Person | Guard | Troy |
| Kahron Ross | Guard | Lehigh |
| Gerdarius Troutman | Guard | Florida Atlantic University |
| Kevin Vannatta | Guard | UNC Asheville |
| Mitchell Wilbekin | Guard | Wake Forest |
| Thomas Wilder | Guard | Western Michigan University |
| Johnathan Williams | Forward | Gonzaga University |
Players Mentioned
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