Kyle Schleigh, a native of Houston, is just the third men’s basketball player to win the league’s top individual award in its 15-year history.
UT Dallas men’s basketball player Kyle Schleigh has been named the 2013-14 American Southwest Conference Men’s Athlete of the Year.
Schleigh, who graduated with a bachelor’s in accounting, wrapped up his four-year career with the Comets this past spring after becoming the most decorated UT Dallas student-athlete in department history. A two-time consensus All-American, Schleigh was selected first-team All-ASC three times and was named the league’s Player of the Year his junior and senior seasons.
“I am honored to be named the ASC Men’s Athlete of the Year,” Schleigh said. “I have competed against and got to know many great athletes in the league during my career, and this is a very humbling award.
“I was fortunate enough to be a part of a great program, and I owe all of my successes to the coaching staff at UTD. I knew coming into college that I wanted to make a mark, and this award shows that hard work pays off in the end,” he said.
Schleigh is the first UT Dallas student-athlete to receive the ASC’s top individual award. Including Schleigh, the award has gone to just three men’s basketball players in its 15-year history. UT Tyler softball player Lauren Robenalt claimed the 2013-14 ASC Women’s Athlete of the Year award.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to coach Kyle Schleigh,” head men’s basketball coach Terry Butterfield said. “Kyle is one of the finest young men I have worked with during my 32 years of college basketball and is the embodiment of what NCAA Division III athletics is all about. He has represented our basketball team and university in a superior way, and I am very pleased the ASC is choosing to recognize Kyle with such a prestigious honor.”
“Kyle is one of the finest young men I have worked with during my 32 years of college basketball and is the embodiment of what NCAA Division III athletics is all about. He has represented our basketball team and university in a superior way, and I am very pleased the ASC is choosing to recognize Kyle with such a prestigious honor.”
Terry Butterfield,
head men’s basketball coach
Schleigh ended his tenure as the Comets’ all-time leader in points (1,771), field goals (589), field goal attempts (1,171), free throws (443), free-throw attempts (569), rebounds (890), rebounds per game (7.9), steals (194), blocked shots (125) and minutes played (3,552). Schleigh also ranks second in assists (330). He ranks sixth all time in the ASC in points and third in total rebounds, becoming only the third player in league history to record 1,700 points and 800 rebounds in a career.
In his final season, Schleigh helped lead the Comets to one of the best seasons in program history, which included a 27-4 record and an appearance in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III Tournament. Schleigh was named second-team All-America by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and earned third-team All-America honors from D3hoops.com after claiming his second consecutive ASC Player of the Year honor.
Schleigh was a three-time ASC Player of the Week in his final season and was named the University’s Male Student-Athlete of the Year. He also became the first UT Dallas player to be selected to compete in the Reese’s All-Star Game.
“This is a tremendous and well-deserved honor for Kyle Schleigh,” said Bill Petitt, UT Dallas interim director of athletics. “Kyle has been a model student-athlete during his career at UTD and will be successful in any endeavor he pursues. As a fan, it was a privilege to watch him play the past four seasons.”