Athletics

Evee ’23 Named SoCon Freshman of the Year

basketball players mid-game

Travis Evee ’23 was named the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year. The Randolph, Massachusetts, native averaged 12.6 points per game to lead the Keydets and all freshmen across the conference. Photo by Jason Hall.

Keydet guard Travis Evee ’23 was voted 2019-20 SoCon Freshman of the Year March 4, 2020, by both the league coaches and league media. The Southern Conference office made the announcement from its offices in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

The economics and business major from Randolph, Massachusetts, was also selected to both SoCon all-freshman teams as voted by coaches and media.

He currently leads the Keydets and all SoCon freshmen in scoring with a 12.6 points per game average and has posted seven 20-plus point games this year in addition to nailing six treys in four separate games. He is the Keydets’ third coaches’ freshman of the year and the media’s ninth. The media have selected the award since 1978-79, while the coaches added the award in 1992-93.

Evee entered the starting lineup in December and closed out the month averaging 21.2 points and leading VMI in scoring all five December games. Against Virginia Tech Dec. 21, Evee tallied all his points in the second half while matching his career-high six three-pointers against the Hokies. He also scored a career-high 26 points in the Dec. 4 game at Duquesne after first reaching the 20-point mark against Presbyterian Nov. 11.

He currently tops the Keydets in free throw percentage (.783) and steals (44).

The Keydets started the 2020 SoCon championships on a tear, downing Samford 96-78. Sophomore center Jake Stephens ’22 had a career high 24 points, including six treys. The victory snapped an 11-game skid to Samford and was the Keydets’ first victory over the Bulldogs since Jan. 21, 2016. The next game was a different story – the top seeded East Tennessee Bucs dispatched upstart VMI 70-57, ending the Keydets’ season.

The Keydets set a tournament record with 18 3-pointers, made in the March 6 win over Samford.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on vmikeydets.com.