UTICA, NY – Junior forward Ray Bryant (Manhattan Center/Utica) of the Utica College men's Basketball team was recently named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division III All-American Third Team which recognizes the country's best men's collegiate basketball student-athletes. Selected and voted on by member coaches of the NABC, these student-athletes represent the finest basketball players across the country.

Bryant, who recently took home NABC East Region First-Team and D3Hoops.com East Region First-Team honors, averaged team-highs of 18.8 points and 8.1 rebounds on the year, while shooting 55% from the floor through 30 games. Bryant averaged 25 points and 11 rebounds in three NCAA Tournament games.

Utica, who capped its season with a program-best 23-7 overall record, closed out its 2005-2006 campaign ranked No. 33 nationally by D3Hoops.com. The Pioneers defeated Gordon College 71-66 and nationally-ranked Worcester Polytechnic Institute 76-58 en route to the “Sweet 16” of the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Bryant, an Empire 8 Conference First-Team selection, tallied 19 points and eight rebounds as the Pioneers fell to E8 rival St. John Fisher College 94-78 in Amherst, MA on March 10.

Utica closed out the regular season ranked fourth in the East Region by the NCAA and received an at-large bid to the Tournament after falling to No. 16 Fisher in the Empire 8 Conference Championship.

                          (Phoenix, NY/Phoenix) #