February 21, 2005

BLACKSBURG, Va. -- Virginia Tech post player Coleman Collins has been named the Atlantic Coast Conference Co-Player of the Week for the week ending Feb. 20, 2005, in a vote of a media panel. Collins shares the award with J.J. Redick of Duke.

Collins, a sophomore from Stone Mountain, Ga., led the Hokies to a pair of victories during the week. In Tech's win over #7/8 Duke on Thursday night, Collins had 14 points and recorded career-highs with 18 rebounds and five blocked shots. The 18 rebounds is the most by a Tech player since Ace Custis grabbed 18 boards in the quarterfinals of the 1995 NIT against New Mexico State. Collins' 18 rebounds is tied for the most in an ACC game this season. In Saturday night's win over Miami in Cassell Coliseum, Collins led the Hokies with 18 points and five rebounds. He was seven of eight from the field.

Collins' honor marks the first time that a Virginia Tech men's basketball player has earned weekly honors from the league. Last season, Collins was named the BIG EAST Conference Rookie of the Week in early February.

Collins leads the Hokies in rebounding, at 6.3 per game and is averaging 12.0 points per game. In ACC games, he has raised those averages to 13.7 ppg and 7.9 rpg. In conference games, Collins is 19^th in the league in scoring and sixth in the league in rebounding. He is also 12^th in the league in blocked shots and fifth in the league in offensive rebounding.

The Hokies, 14-10 overall and 7-6 in ACC action, return to action on Saturday afternoon, as they travel to Raleigh, N.C. to play NC State in the RBC Center. Game time is 4 p.m. in the regionally-televised game.