2019 Jostens Trophy Winner
“Aston is the hardest working player I have ever encountered,” said Wheaton head coach Mike Schauer. “He is a talented student at one of the nation’s top liberal arts colleges. He has grown into an exceptional leader both on and off the court.“
Francis, a native of Tyler, Texas, has been one of the most electrifying players in Division III men’s basketball this season. He has topped the 40-point total in nine games and recently set the Wheaton single-game scoring record and NCAA Division III tournament record with 62 points in the NCAA sectional final. Francis leads all NCAA divisions with a 33.9 points per game average and leads Division III with 5.42 3-point field goals made per game and 218 made free throws. As Wheaton College heads into the 2019 national semifinals, Francis has already set the NCAA Division III record for points in a season (1,052) and is second all-time in three-pointers made in a season (168). His 383 career three-pointers stand as seventh-best in NCAA Division III history. Francis was named the D3hoops.com Central Region Player of the Year in 2018 and 2019, and D3hoops.com and NABC Second Team All-America in 2018.
RELATED: Wheaton College (Ill.) Release on Aston Francis Winning the Jostens Trophy
Off the court, Francis is very active in his communities, a point Wheaton College President Philip Ryken is proud to highlight. “In addition to his athletic accomplishments, Mr. Francis has a long record of working in disaster recovery in Texas, New Orleans, and Arkansas. Both on and off the court, Aston Francis is a strong and consistent student-athlete with outstanding potential for future leadership.”
Francis has also spent time coaching underprivileged youth, helping local senior citizens with home repairs and maintenance, and participated in mission trips where he rebuilt homes, created a park, and built a basketball court.
In the classroom, Francis holds a 3.24 grade point average while majoring in business and economics. He was a member of the 2017-18 NABC Honors Court as well as a 2018 Jostens Trophy finalist.
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