GREENVILLE, S.C. – KJ Jones II of Emmanuel has been selected as the Conference Carolinas Male Athlete of the Year for the 2023-24 academic year.
Jones is the second student-athlete, and first male from Emmanuel to be chosen as the Athlete of the Year, in Conference Carolinas. Jharna Alston previously earned Female Athlete of the Year in 2020-21. The Lions officially joined the league on July 1, 2018.
Jones earned many awards following his senior season in Franklin Springs, Georgia, starting with Conference Carolinas Player of the Year. He followed that with all-region and region player of the year awards from the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) as well as all-district honors from the National Basketball Coaches Association (NABC). Jones then was named National Player of the Year by both the D2CCA and NABC, becoming the first in Conference Carolinas to nab the NABC award and second to take the award from the D2CCA. The Atlanta, Georgia native later received the inaugural Trevor Hudgins Award from Small College Basketball.
"Wow. Another amazing and well-deserved award. KJ is rare," Emmanuel head coach T.J. Rosene said. "He epitomizes what a student-athlete should be. He gave everything he had as a teammate, as a student, and as an athlete for his entire career here. This achievement isn't a fluke. He gave it his all."
Jones filled up the stat sheet for the Lions, leading Emmanuel to an NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship berth for the second straight years as the Lions reached the regional semifinal.
He led NCAA Division II with an average of 26.2 points per game, scoring 865 points. He also led the country in free throw makes (306) and attempts (349) while ranking 30th with a free throw percentage of 87.7. He also ranked second in Conference Carolinas with 133 total assists for an average of 4.03 per contest. His 246 made field goals ranked sixth in the country and shot 56.7 percent from the floor. Jones scored at least 20 points in 26 games and eclipsed the 30-point plateau 14 times including a conference-high 43 at Lenoir-Rhyne in December.
"I am extremely blessed to receive this honor," said Jones. "I also want to applaud all of the other amazing athletes within Conference Carolinas. Earning this award is something that can't be done alone so I would like to thank my amazing teammates and coaches who put me in positions to thrive and constantly get better. Without them, I wouldn't be me. I am extremely humbled and honored and it truly means a lot to be selected to win this award."
In his career in Franklin Springs, Georgia, Jones was a three-time All-America selection and surpassed 3,000 points last season.
The Athlete of the Year Award (one male and one female each year) is the most outstanding student-athlete for the year in the league. Per Conference Carolinas Directors of Athletics vote, nominations will be accepted from member institutions to only include conference-sponsored sports and all nomination information, statistics and accomplishments are solely based on athletically-related criteria.
Conference Carolinas Male Athlete of the Year Winners
2023-24 KJ Jones II, Emmanuel
2022-23 Tanner Halvorson, Barton
2021-22 Reece Fields, North Greenville
2020-21 John Michael Faile, North Greenville
2019-20 Jordan Floyd, King
2018-19 Utah Jones, North Greenville
2017-18 Adam Craig, Mount Olive
2016-17 Kevin Reisman, Limestone
2015-16 Mike Messenger, Limestone
2014-15 Kevin Reisman, Limestone
2013-14 Bradon Reitano, Mount Olive
2012-13 Riley Loewen, Limestone
2011-12 Jake Ternosky, Limestone
2010-11 Carter Capps, Mount Olive
2009-10 Bryan Fogle, Erskine
2008-09 Michael Crouch, Queens
2007-08 Jason Sherrer, Mount Olive
2006-07 Anthony Atkinson, Barton
2005-06 Brock Godwin, Barton
2004-05 Casey Smith, Erskine
2003-04 Spencer Ross, Queens
2002-03 Andrew McArthur, Pfeiffer
2001-02 Ben Case, Pfeiffer
2000-01 Colin Ducharme, Longwood
1999-00 Nem Sovic, Pfeiffer
1998-99 Todd Bailess, Barton
1997-98 Soce Faye, Queens
1996-97 Dan Shanks, Coker
1995-96 Brett Speight, High Point