March 6, 2007

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) _ North Carolina freshman Brandan Wright was named the Atlantic Coast Conference rookie of the year Tuesday, marking the third straight season a Tar Heel has won the award.

Wright received 49 of a possible 106 votes from members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. The 6-foot-9 forward ranked among the ACC's leaders at 14.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game while leading the conference by shooting 66 percent.

Georgia Tech guard Javaris Crittenton, who averaged 14.5 points and 5.7 assists to rank among the league leaders, was second with 27 votes. North Carolina State redshirt freshman Brandon Costner, the Wolfpack's leading scorer at 16.3 points, was third with 23 votes.

Wright follows North Carolina's Marvin Williams and Tyler Hansbrough as recent winners of the rookie award, giving the Tar Heels eight all-time to rank second in ACC history.

It marks only the third time that one school has had at least three straight winners. Duke's Jim Spanarkel won in 1976, Mike Gminski tied for the honor in 1977 and Gene Banks won in 1978. Georgia Tech _ which has a league-high 10 rookie winners _ had four straight with Mark Price (1983), Bruce Dalrymple ('84), Duane Ferrell ('85) and Tom Hammonds ('86).