« Men’s Basketball 2013-14

Allan Chaney

School
High Point
Position
Forward
Major
Nonprofit Management (Graduate School)
PPG
15.4
RPG
8.6
APG
0.4

Classroom

Chaney earned his bachelor’s degree in Apparel, Housing, and Resource Management from Virginia Tech in 2012. He enrolled in graduate school at High Point in 2012 and is on track to earn his master’s degree in Nonprofit Management in the spring of 2014. He has a 3.33 GPA in graduate school. Chaney has career aspirations beyond basketball – he plans to start his own nonprofit organization to help children with heart problems get the care they need.

Character

Chaney overcame extreme adversity to return from major heart problems to play college basketball. After playing his freshman year of 2008-09 at the University of Florida, Chaney transferred to Virginia Tech and had to sit out the 2009-10 season due to NCAA transfer rules. In the spring of 2010, Chaney fainted during a workout and was eventually diagnosed with viral myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart. He had to stop all workouts immediately and was told by one prominent cardiologist that he should never play again. The diagnosis began a two-year process in which Chaney underwent open-heart surgery and multiple electrophysiology studies. He had a defibrillator permanently implanted in his chest and was cleared to play basketball in May of 2012. Chaney enrolled in graduate school at HPU and, after missing three full seasons of basketball, played in High Point’s season opener on Nov. 9, 2012. It was an 81-73 win over UNC Greensboro and Chaney scored 15 points with seven rebounds in 16 minutes of play. Chaney had gone 1,346 days between games. Due to his major health issues, Chaney was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA and elected to return to High Point to lead the Panthers this season.

Community

Due to his experience with heart issues and the care he received that allowed him to resume his basketball career, Chaney plans to begin his own nonprofit organization to help others, specifically children, receive the same level of care. He would like the organization to provide help for those who can’t afford the type of care necessary, specifically children who are trying to pursue sports at any level. The defibrillator that Chaney has implanted in his chest is a new wireless defibrillator that’s more suitable to athletes. He is interested in trying to help others get this type of defibrillator instead of the type with wires. Chaney plans to start this nonprofit organization while he is still a collegiate or professional basketball player. He plans to use his inspiring story, his connections to other athletes and to use his status as a high-profile basketball player to draw attention to the program and generate the necessary support. In addition, Chaney volunteers time with the local Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Due to his schedule constraints, he isn’t actually a “Big Brother” to an individual child, but he volunteers his time with after-school groups.

Competition

After being named the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year at New London High School for 2007-08, Chaney attended Florida, where he averaged 3.0 points and 2.1 rebounds in 9.8 minutes per game in 23 games as a freshman in 2008-09. He transferred to Virginia Tech prior to the 2009-10 season but never played a game for the Hokies. He sat out the 2009-10 season due to NCAA transfer rules and sat out the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons with health issues. Chaney came back to play for High Point in 2012-13 and was one of the top players on the team, improving as the season went on. He averaged 14.5 points and team highs of 8.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocks while shooting 51.3 percent from the field and 80.3 percent from the free-throw line in 30 games. Chaney was named second-team All-Big South and second-team NABC All-District in 2012-13. He scored at least 20 points five times and had six double-doubles. High Point had its best season since joining NCAA Div. I in 1999-2000, going 17-14 overall and 12-4 in Big South play. Chaney was granted a sixth season of eligibility by the NCAA due to his health issues. Entering 2013-14, Chaney is projected as the Big South Player of the Year in the Blue Ribbon Review and Athlon Sports. He is projected as an All-Big South player in every other preseason publication.