UNC senior point guard Joel Berry was selected Friday as one of eight finalists for the James E. Sullivan Award, which is presented annually by the Amateur Athletic Union to the top amateur athlete in the United States.

Berry was a First Team All-ACC performer this past season for the Tar Heels, averaging a team-high 17.1 points per game.

The Florida native also earned Third Team All-American recognition after a season in which he made 93 three-pointers–the fourth-best mark in program history.

Previous winners of the Sullivan Award include: Peyton Manning, Michael Phelps, Mark Spitz, Tim Tebow and Bill Walton.

Voting for the award is open to the public at aausullivan.org, and will close on Thursday, March 29.

“The AAU Sullivan Award is one of the most prestigious honors in all of sports, so to be a finalist is something I am very proud of,” Berry said. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed playing basketball at North Carolina and winning the national championship last year was the highlight of a four-year career I will never forget.

“Winning Most Outstanding Player honors at the Final Four put me in this position to contend for the AAU Sullivan Award, which would be the ultimate award for a collegiate athlete,” he added. “It is an honor to be mentioned with the other great candidates.”

 

 

Photo via Todd Melet