Former men’s basketball player Andrew Preston (Winchester, Ky.) has signed a professional contract with Niigata Albirex of Basketball Japan League. Preston, who just three weeks ago was selected by the expansion East Kentucky Miners of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) in its college draft, generated significant interest late in the summer from teams in Portugal, China and Germany, among others.
Preston, a three-year starter and integral cog on Bruin NCAA Tournament teams in 2006 and 2007, developed into one of the most dependable post players of Belmont’s NCAA era. Named to the 2007 Atlantic Sun All-Tournament team behind his 18 point-10 rebound performance in the championship game victory at ETSU, Preston is the program’s NCAA era career leader in blocked shots (123) and ranks fourth in career field goal percentage (.534). Preston earned Academic All-Conference honors in 2006, and graduated this past May with a degree in accounting.
