Oct. 20, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - UAB senior guard/forward Robert Vaden has been tabbed as a preseason Honorable Mention All-American by CollegeHoopsNet.com, the basketball site announced Monday. The site has four All-America teams made up of five individual players, along with 21 players who received honorable mention accolades.

Vaden enters this season coming off arguably one of the best seasons in UAB school history. The 2008-09 Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year helped lead the Blazers to a 23-11 overall record and a 12-4 mark in league play. As a result, the Blazers earned their 22nd postseason appearance and advanced to the second round of the 2008 National Invitation Tournament.

As a junior, Vaden, who transferred from Indiana in 2006, toppled many single-season records. The Indianapolis, Ind. native finished the 2007-08 campaign with single-season school marks of points (695), threes made (142) and threes attempted (355). His marks from beyond the arc also set the single-season records for Conference USA and placed him second and fifth in the nation in three-pointers made and attempted, respectively.

Vaden also finished the year ranked among the top-10 single-season UAB performances for points per game average (21.1, T2nd), field goals made (220, 8th), field goals attempted (539, 4th), free throw percentage (86.3, 4th) and minutes played (1,170, 4th).

Due to his outstanding season, Vaden was selected as a First-Team All-District performer by the NABC and the USBWA. He was also named the Conference USA Newcomer of the Year and was a C-USA First-Team honoree.

Vaden and the Blazers will tip off the 2008-09 campaign on Saturday, Nov. 15, when they travel to face instate rival Troy at 2 p.m. CT.