Albany, Georgia – Vinny Viana, a sophomore at Albany Technical College, has been recognized by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) as an All-American Honorable Mention. NJCAA All American represents the nation’s Top 50 players in junior college basketball. These players are not only the top players in their region but across the entire country.
Vinny played combo guard for two years, 2018-2020, for the Albany Tech Titans and ended this year with impressive stats. In the 2019-20 basketball season, he finished with 23.2 points per game average, 3.5 rebounds and, 2.0 assist to turnover ratio.
“Being an All-American is a great award for Vinny, it gives him a national spotlight for his hard work and dedication to his craft,” stated Timothy Dal Bon, Albany Technical College Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach. Dal Bon goes on to say, “Vinny is actively being recruited by various NCAA D1 institutions across the country. Once things with the Coronavirus clear up some, he will make his announcement of where he will be attending college to finish both his athletic and academic career.”
“I started playing in fourth grade on the playgrounds at elementary school. I didn’t play organized until fifth grade when I was playing up with a sixth grade team. I knew basketball was for me when I saw how much fun I had playing,” says Vinny Viana.
Viana is originally from Brazil but graduated from North Springs High School in Fulton County. He is currently a Business Management major at Albany Technical College and is scheduled to graduate in the summer.
Viana goes on to say, “Albany Technical College gave me a chance when I had nothing. I created longtime friendships and made brothers that I will have for the rest of my life. I would do it all over again. I want to thank Albany Tech for taking a chance on me when nobody else would. Thank you for everything that the school, coaches, and teachers have done for me. I’m a Titan for life.”
The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), founded in 1938, is the governing association of community college, state college, and junior college athletics throughout the United States. Currently, the NJCAA holds 24 separate regions across 24 states and is divided into three divisions.
Photo 1 – Vinny takes an outside 3 point shot during Homecoming 2019
Photo 2 – Vinny in for the lay up during Homecoming 2019
Photo 3 – Sylvester Patterson, Titans Head Coach, talks to team during a timeout.
Photo 4 - Timothy Dal Bon, Albany Technical College Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach, Vinny Viana, a sophomore at Albany Technical College, Sylvester Patterson, Titans Head Coach and Anthony Parker, President of Albany Technical College during Titans Sophomore Night 2020.
About Albany Technical College
A public postsecondary institution of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), Albany Technical College provides technical education and training support for the evolving workforce needs of Southwest Georgia through traditional and online classroom settings. Albany Tech is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS/COC). For more information about Albany Tech, go to www.albanytech.edu or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AlbanyTech or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AlbanyTech. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel by visiting www.youtube.com/albanytech1 .