Smith Named ACC Player of the Year

After he was unanimously selected to the All-ACC first team yesterday, senior guard Nolan Smith was named conference player of the year Tuesday.

Smith received 73 out of 75 votes from the members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. The other two votes went to Smith's teammate Kyle Singler and sophomore big man Jordan Williams of Maryland. Smith became the first Blue Devil since J.J. Redick in 2006 to win player of the year honors.

The senior leads the ACC in scoring at 23.4 points per game and is second in the conference in assists. He is one of only three players in the nation to average over 20 points and five assists per game (joined by Norris Cole of Cleveland State and Tu Holloway of Xavier).

Yahoo! Sports and Fox Sports bestowed their national player of the year awards upon Smith yesterday. He is also a member of the 30-player midseason watchlist for the prestigious Naismith player of the year award.

Duke co-captains Smith and Singler both made the All-ACC first team Monday as well, and Smith was the only unanimous selection. Duke was also the only school with two players on the first team.

Tobacco Road rival North Carolina made history by becoming the only ACC regular season champion to fail to place any members of its squad on the conference first team. Nevertheless, the Tar Heels were well represented on the second team as Harrison Barnes, John Henson and Tyler Zeller all made the cut. The boys in baby blue also made a splash in the individual ACC awards.

North Carolina head coach Roy Williams ran away with coach of the year honors, receiving 52 of the 75 votes. Barnes was a lock for rookie of the year, with his freshman teammate Kendall Marshall finishing second in the voting. Finally, Henson's receipt of the defensive player of the year award may help the 6-foot-10 forward silence those who mock his lanky physique.

Smith will have the opportunity to back up his freshly minted accolades when the Blue Devils begin ACC tournament play Friday at 7 p.m. in Greensboro, N.C., against the winner of Thursday's Maryland-N.C. State matchup.