By WESLEY HALLMAN / Sports Editor

Josh Magette is easily the most accomplished player in University of Alabama in Huntsville men’s basketball history.

Magette, who has racked up nearly every honor up for grabs, from NCAA Division II preseason All-American by The Sporting News to the Gulf South Conference Co-Player of the Year following his senior season, added to his list of achievements March 13.

Magette led the Chargers back to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight for the second consecutive season after leading UAH to a 68-59 win over Christian Brothers University in the South Region championship game at Spragins Hall.

Magette, who was named the South Region tournament’s most valuable player, scored 12 points in the title game. Magette and his teammates will face Bellarmine University in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight quarterfinals March 21 at 5 p.m. at The Bank of Kentucky Center in Highland Heights, Ky.

Magette, a 6-foot-1, 160-pound point guard, leads the nation in Division II men’s basketball with 9.5 assists per game. Magette also led the Gulf South Conference with 2.6 steals per game and a 3.4 assist/turnover ration.

Magette, one of just four players in Division II this season to record a triple-double this season, is the conference’s all-time leader in assists and became the first ever Gulf South Conference player to surpass 1,000 career points, 500 career rebounds and 700 career assists. Magette finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in the Chargers’ 90-68 win over North Alabama in a conference game Feb. 25.

Magette, who was named to the All-Gulf South Conference first team for the second year in a row, led the Chargers to their first appearance in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight a year ago.

Magette led the Jaguars to the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 6A Final Four during his junior season at Spain Park.

The Chargers’ roster also includes former Oak Mountain High School standouts Ronnie Mack and Garrett Cosgrove. Mack, a redshirt freshman who averaged 6.1 points per game this season, knocked down three 3-pointers in the South Region championship game. Cosgrove redshirted this year.