ROCK HILL, S.C. – Carson-Newman seniors Bryant Thomas (Charlotte, N.C.) and Luke Brenegan (Greenville, S.C.) have both been named to the preseason All-South Atlantic Conference second team, the league office announced Tuesday morning.
This marks a second consecutive season where Carson-Newman has placed two players on the preseason listing. Last year, EJ Bush and Ren Dyer were recognized.
Last year, Thomas was a SAC All-Tournament team selection and the league's Defensive Player of the Year.
Thomas was the back-line anchor to Carson-Newman's zone defense that led the league in blocks and scoring defense, and as a result Carson-Newman has held more opponents (three) below 50 points last season than in any other season this century. Thomas was the league's top shot blocker and rebounder. He was ninth nationally with 65 blocks and 14th in the country with 2.22 re-directs per game. Thomas was the league leader in both categories.
His 65 rejections are the Eagles' single-season record. Carson-Newman had the country's 28th best shot-blocking team with 111 total rejections. Thomas posted multiple rejections in 18 of Carson-Newman's games last season – including the last seven in a row. He tied his own single-game school record twice last season with six-block days against Queens (Nov. 20) and Coker (Jan. 17). \
The league's top rebounder, Thomas snagged at least five rebounds in every game Carson-Newman has played since Jan. 17 – 15 straight. He posted double-digit rebounds in nine contests, including three consecutive for the first time in his career from Jan. 22-26 against Wingate Anderson and Lincoln Memorial. Thomas has also added some thievery to his game. He's posted 25 steals on the season and has had 16 since Jan. 24.
Thomas is both Carson-Newman's single-season and career record holder for rejections. He sits at 131 for his Carson-Newman career. The 6-9 center has also added some scoring punch to his game, averaging a career-best 10.1 points per game. He had 16 double-digit scoring efforts, including a season-best 17 against Wingate on Nov. 27. Thomas has posted six double-doubles on the year.
Meanwhile, Brenegan picks up his first preseason recognition after earning honorable mention All-SAC honors in 2020-21.
One of the steadiest point guards in the South Atlantic Conference, Luke Brenegan battled injuries en route to playing in 29 games for C-N with 28 starts. He averaged 11.4 points per game with 3.6 assists and 2.9 rebounds. Brenegan was named SAC Player of the Week on Jan. 17 for his role in a pair of C-N road wins. Brenegan started his week by resetting his career high with a 34-point outburst in an 84-81 win at Catawba. Playing in front of his mother, Brenegan's 34-pont night reset his previous career high of 22, set Feb. 13 at Catawba.
Brenegan was 10-of-16 from the floor, a season-best 5-of-7 from deep and a perfect 9-for-9 at the line. He has made 17 straight free throws in Goodman Gym dating back to last season. Brenegan's 30-point effort was the first for C-N since Tripp Davis went for 44 against Benedict on Feb. 16, 2021 in Holt Fieldhouse.
He had 15 in the first half before scoring 19 in the second half, including 14 in the final 6:39 of the game. He followed that up with his fifth-straight double-digit scoring effort at Lenoir-Rhyne with a 10-point night. It marks the first time in his career Brenegan has scored double digits in five straight games. He also added in two boards, four assists and two steals on 4-of-12 shooting. For the week, Brenegan shot 50 percent from the field and from beyond the arc, while averaging 22 points with two rebounds, 2.5 assists, and a steal.
That week was a part of a career-best nine-game stretch where Brenegan scored in double-digits in every game from Dec. 18 - Feb. 2. He also had a 20-point game in the SAC quarterfinals at Wingate (3/2).
Brenegan dolled out five assists on 10 occasions, topping out with a career-high nine against Mars Hill (12/15). A noted three-point marksman, Brenegan buried a team-best 58 threes and shot 35.2 percent from range. He had multiple threes made in 21 of his 29 games played and three or more threes made in six games.
He reset his career high for rebounds against UVA Wise (1/5) with eight. Brenegan led C-N in scoring in four games. He is 9-0 in his career when he leads the Eagles in points.
Brenegan and Thomas will be on display Nov. 11 at 5 p.m. when the Eagles open the season against Lees-McRae in Bristol, Tenn.
