Xavier star F Zach Freemantle returning for fifth season

Big man Zach Freemantle will return to Xavier in 2023-24 for his fifth season of college basketball.

Freemantle, who joined the program in 2019-20, opted to use the fifth year of NCAA eligibility granted to all student-athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Xavier's basketball managers broke the news on their Twitter account Monday, soon confirmed by the team's official account.

Freemantle has started 78 of his 105 career appearances at Xavier and boasts career averages of 11.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.

The 6-foot-9 forward missed the Musketeers' final 15 games last season after needing surgery to address a left foot injury. He was averaging 15.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and a career-best 2.9 assists per game before his season was cut short.

As a sophomore in 2020-21, Freemantle won Big East Most Improved Player and was named to the All-Big East second team after averaging 16.1 points and 8.9 rebounds over 21 starts.