UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, OH – For the second time in his career, John Carroll graduate student Luke Chicone (Mentor, OH/Mentor) has been recognized among the nation’s top small-college standouts, earning a spot on the 2025-26 Bevo Francis Award Top 50 Watch List. Chicone has collected three career Top 100 honors, including a Top 25 finalist finish in 2024 and a Top 50 selection in 2023.
 
Presented annually by Small College Basketball, the Clarence “Bevo” Francis Award honors the student-athlete who puts together the finest overall season across NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA, USCAA, and NCCAA institutions.
 
A Mentor, Ohio native, Chicone is piecing together another standout season, leading the NCAC in scoring at 23.0 points per game while also topping the conference in assists (6.6 apg) and steals (2.5 spg). The five-foot-11 guard is shooting 52.6 percent from the field and 29.9 percent from three-point range, and he’s adding 4.6 rebounds per contest. A starter in all 24 games for the Blue Streaks, Chicone has scored in double figures 23 times, including 16 games with 20 or more points.
 
About the Bevo Francis Award
Named in honor of Clarence “Bevo” Francis, the award is presented annually to the top overall performer in small-college basketball. Selection criteria include season statistics, individual achievements and awards, personal character, and team success. The 2025–26 season marks the 10th year of the award, which is presented to only one student-athlete each year.