ARLINGTON – Rewind to October of 2022, and at his preseason media day session Chendall Weaver listed his individual basketball goal for the upcoming campaign to be named the Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year.
 
Fast forward to Sunday, and Weaver's dream became reality as he was voted the 2023 WAC Freshman of the Year after a dominant first-year performance which left no doubt as to the best freshman in the league after averaging 9.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and a team-high 29.2 minutes per game.
 
As the WAC Tournament is set to begin this week in Las Vegas, Weaver parlayed his opportunity into UTA's first Freshman of the Year honor since Roge'r Guignard claimed the Southland Conference's award in 2007.
 
The Mansfield Timberview product led all WAC freshmen in points (295), rebounds (138 – tied with teammate Brandon Walker), steals (28), field goals made (96), 3-pointers made (33), free throws made (70) and minutes (905). The only two key categories the 6-3 guard didn't lead in he finished 2nd in both assists (60) and blocks (12).
 
Among those freshmen who attempted at least 200 shots, Weaver's .440 field goal percentage (96-218) was the best, and among those freshmen who took at least 60 triples his .413 percent rate (33-80) was also the highest.
 
Weaver scored well over 100 more points than any other WAC freshman except teammate Walker (207 – next closest: 172), and his 905 minutes were nearly double any other freshman except Walker (561 – next closest: 485). He also had nearly 90 more rebounds than any other freshman except Walker, 12 more steals than anyone and nearly 30 more free throws made.
 
A four-time WAC Freshman of the Week, Weaver claimed that quartet of recognitions all during conference play as he averaged 10.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game in league action. Weaver scored in double figures six-straight games in February, including a season-best 21 in a Quad 2 win against Sam Houston – the highest-ranked NET team in the WAC.
 
Weaver was one of only two UTA players with multiple 20-point games (Kyron Gibson), and he notched 15 double-figure scoring games, 16 contests of 5+ rebounds and five outings of 3+ 3-pointers. He pulled down a season-high 10 rebounds in another Quad 2 road win at San Francisco in December and issued a season-most six assists versus UT Rio Grande Valley in January as UTA swept the season series from the Vaqueros.
 
That sweep would have typically yielded a standings tiebreaker for the Mavs, but instead of being seeded #10 based off their league record they enter the 2023 Hercules Tires WAC Tournament as the #12 seed based off the season-long conference résumé-seeding system. Weaver and UTA will open postseason action against #5 Grand Canyon on Tuesday, Mar. 7, at 4 p.m. Central (2 local Pacific) from Michelob ULTRA Arena.
 
2022-23 WAC Men's Basketball Awards
(As Voted By WAC Head Coaches)
 
Player of the Year: Qua Grant, Sam Houston
Defensive Player of the Year: Aziz Bandaogo, Utah Valley
Sixth Man of the Year: Dee Barnes, Southern Utah
Freshman of the Year: Chendall Weaver, UT Arlington
Newcomer of the Year: Aziz Bandaogo, Utah Valley
Coach of the Year: Mark Madsen, Utah Valley
 
All-WAC First Team
Ray Harrison, Grand Canyon
Qua Grant, Sam Houston
Cameron Tyson, Seattle U
Tevian Jones, Southern Utah
Aziz Bandaogo, Utah Valley
Le'Tre Darthard, Utah Valley
Trey Woodbury, Utah Valley
Justin Johnson, UTRGV
 
All-WAC Second Team
Taran Armstrong, California Baptist
Gabe McGlothan, Grand Canyon
Donte Powers, Sam Houston
Riley Grigsby, Seattle U
Maizen Fausett, Southern Utah
Sadaidriene Hall, Stephen F. Austin
Freddy Hicks, Tarleton
Cameron Gooden, Utah Tech
 
WAC All-Defensive Team
Damien Daniels, Abilene Christian
Javion May, Sam Houston
Shamir Bogues, Tarleton
Aziz Bandaogo, Utah Valley
Le'Tre Darthard, Utah Valley
 
WAC All-Newcomer Team
Ray Harrison, Grand Canyon
Qua Grant, Sam Houston
Cameron Huefner, Sam Houston
Drake Allen, Southern Utah
Aziz Bandaogo, Utah Valley
 
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