Kyle Weems

Classroom

Weems has advanced significantly in the classroom throughout his college career and earned a spot on the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll in the spring of 2011 with a 3.08 GPA for the semester. He will graduate in December 2011 with a degree in Hotel & Restaurant Administration and looks to start his own restaurant after his basketball playing days are done.

Character

It is difficult to imagine a college basketball player representing the university, the program and the Missouri Valley Conference better than Weems. His sportsmanship, team leadership, honesty and integrity make him a rare gem. He is never too busy for interviews, conducts himself professionally regardless of the outcome of a game, and is one of the most popular students on campus. He works with youth in the community, takes on a leadership role in everything he does, and is an excellent role model for fans of all ages.

Community

In addition to numerous team community service initiatives, Weems has taken it upon himself to be an upstanding member of the community. When the team adopted a 10-year-old with a chronic disease, Weems went to the young man’s little league games on his own time, and he made time to call him and check on him. He does the same thing at summer camps, always working with the least-talented or least-popular kids on the court and taking them under his wing instead of the superstars. He has been a true leader in organizing and being present for team events with The Kitchen homeless shelter, Ozarks Food Harvest, Children’s Miracle Network, Champions Committed to Kids, United Way, Joplin recovery efforts, YMCA, Just READ program, and many, many others.

Competition

Weems was an Associated Press All-American in 2010-11 after being named Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year—the first MSU player to do so. He was also on the NABC All-District and USBWA All-Region teams. He averaged 16.0 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, and led the Bears to a 26-9 season and the program’s first-ever MVC regular-season title (15-3). Weems scored in double figures 33 times, earned MVC Player of the Week honors four times, and was on the MVC All-Tournament Team his junior season.  He ranked among the MVC’s top 15 performers in 11 (of 13) statistical categories a year ago, including second in scoring, third in rebounding, third in steals, sixth in blocks, seventh in three-pointers and eighth in free throw percentage.