McCallum coming on strong
as freshman for Lady Niners

Shannon McCallum

Through the first 11 games of the UNC Charlotte women’s basketball schedule, former Whiteville High School standout Shannon McCallum has made steady progress in a reserve role as a freshman.

McCallum, a guard, is averaging 6.3 points per game, including an impressive 22-point output in the Lady 49ers road victory over Alabama-Birmingham on December 5.

In UNCC’s 76-55 home victory over Virginia Tech on Sunday, she contributed seven points.

McCallum, a 2006 graduate of WHS where she was three-time Columbus County Player of the Year and a three-time member of the 2A All-State team, originally signed with the University of South Carolina while at WHS, but was unable to play college basketball initially because of academic deficiencies. She attended Patterson Prep School in Lenoir last year where she led her team in scoring while making herself academically eligible for NCAA play.

She was signed by UNCC last spring.

Coach Karen Aston’s Charlotte squad opened the season with five straight losses, but have since won five of their last six games.

The Lady Niners will play host to Charleston Southern tonight and Texas-Arlington Saturday in the Spring-Hill Suites Holiday Classic.

The 5-foot-10 McCallum is averaging 3.9 rebounds per outing, has collected a total of seven steals and has blocked four shots. She has made one start.

On Dec. 30, the Lady Niners will travel to Jonesboro, Ark., to take on Arkansas State and they will return to their homefloor on Jan. 2 for match-up with Clemson.

UNC Charlotte is a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference.

McCallum is the all-time girls scoring leader at Whiteville High.