Justin Champagnie became the first player in Pitt history to earn first-team All-ACC honors yesterday. The 6’6’ Brooklyn native put together one of the finest seasons in recent memory for the Pitt program after leading the conference in rebounding (11.1 per game), finishing second in scoring (18.4), and recording 13 double-double’s in 19 games played this season.
For Champagnie’s part, he’s appreciative of the honor, but is focused on the team's tasks instead. Pitt begins ACC Tournament play this afternoon with a 2:00 p.m. tip against Miami on the ACC Network. The Panthers are looking to go on a run and have an extended stay in Greensboro, and that is Champagnie’s main concern.
“I want to make a run in the ACC Tournament,” he told reporters on Monday. “I want to take us even farther than last year. So to me it means nothing if we don’t try and win. I’m happy that I got it, but my main focus is to win right now.”
Champagnie found out about the honors through the coaches, but did not go run and make phone calls to talk about his accomplishments. He kept the news to himself because it was something he knew could happen.
“I feel like I had this in me since last year and I’m happy I got to show it,” he said.
He did note it was his mother that called him first after hearing about the news. It came just one day after his twin brother Julian was named first-team All-Big East after starring for Saint John’s this season. The Champagnie’s won’t be traveling to see either son play this week, but will get to see the games from home.
“I’m just happy they get to watch and see us both play on TV,” Champagnie said.
Pitt has been in the ACC for eight seasons now, and this marks the first time the program has placed a player on the first team all-conference. For any player, landing first-team all conference is a big deal, and Pitt head coach Jeff Capel knows that, especially given his history with the ACC. He’s hoping to explain that more to his star player once the season is over.
“Right now that’s not something I want to convey to him or talk to him at length about,” Capel said about the significance of this honor. “That’s something when the season is over with. Right now we just want to try to continue our season and our focus is on Miami and what we have to do to try and beat them."
It has been a steady climb for Champagnie to reach this point. He showed flashes of brilliance as a freshman and his play early on this season put him on the map. He recorded back-to-back 20-point, 20-rebound games in December.
The sophomore drew national attention for his games against Syracuse and Duke in January after coming off of an injury. He combined for 55 points and 30 rebounds in those games and put the league on notice.
Those games got him added attention, but he’s been consistently good since December. Even during Pitt’s late game slide, he’s posted six double-doubles since February 1st, and he has been the steadying force in the lineup after recent turnover within the program.
“He’s probably been the most consistent guy of anyone in our league this year,” Capel said of Champagnie.
Perhaps someday, Champagnie will grasp the magnitude of the award, not only because of how good you have to be to earn it, but also because it’s the first one for Pitt in its new league. As Capel tries to build this program, having this achievement to point to is going to a bonus according to the Pitt coach.
“That’s something we’ll definitely use going forward with the current guys and with guys we recruit,” Capel said. “Justin can be a great example of if you work, listen, put in the time and work - good things are there and they can happen.”
