FIU Athletics

An accomplished 3-point scorer expected to excel with a change in team offensive strategy.
As a Junior (2005-06): A genuine 3-point threat whose team-leading 74 treys ranked fourth best on the FIU all-time list for a single season...averaged 2.64 three-pointers, which was third highest in the Sun Belt Conference and best among all returning league players in 2006...top returning scorer who averaged 10.4 points over 28 games, which ranked 26th in the Sun Belt...one of only two Golden Panthers with 100-or-more field goals on the year...had at least one trey in 25-of-28 games on the year...season-high 24 points against DePaul (12/31) included eight 3-pointers, one short of the school record in that category...hit for 21 points at Western Kentucky (2/25), which included six 3-point baskets...best among the team’s returning players with 14 double-digit scoring games in 2005-06...collected 81 rebounds on the season, with a high of seven against Central Connecticut State (11/22) and Arkansas-Little Rock (1/5)...had a pair of multiple blocked-shot games with two each at Florida A&M (11/25) and vs. Florida Tech (12/1)...dished five assists against Central Connecticut...logged nearly 30 minutes per game, with a season-high 40 minutes in the overtime game at La Salle (12/20)...whistled for only 28 turnovers on the year...three steals against Louisiana-Lafayette (1/21) tied a team season high...one of only three Golden Panthers to appear in every game.
Southeastern CC (2003-05): An NJCAA honorable mention All-American, all-region and team MVP in 2004-05 who finished as the leading scorer (14.8 ppg) for head coach Tim Walsh’s Black Hawks...hit on 60 of 141 (.426) three-point attempts and finished with an overall 52.2-percent field goal percentage...led the team with 28 blocked shots and 49 steals and ranked third with 124 rebounds over 31 games...scored the team’s season-high 28 points in a victory over Moberly...recorded a team season best of seven steals versus P.Y. Express and four blocks against Kankakee... freshman member of Southeastern’s 2004 NJCAA national championship squad but injuries and sophomores ahead of him limited his playing time.
Prep and Personal Data: A three-year letterwinner for head coach Orlando Pentojen...averaged 22.3 points and six rebounds as a senior...also played three seasons of volleyball, three of track and field and one year of baseball...selected FIU over interest shown by Wisconsin, Rice, UTEP, Western Michigan and Toledo... born April 17, 1985, in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico...son of Candido Villegas and Carmen Mercado...sports management major who was an FIU and Sun Belt Conference Honor Roll student in 2005-06.

Villegas’ FIU Career Highs

Points: 24 at DePaul, 12/31/05

Rebounds: 7, twice, last vs. Arkansas-Little Rock, 1/5/06

Assists: 5 vs. Central Connecticut State, 11/22/05

Steals: 3, three times, last vs. Louisiana-Lafayette, 1/21/06

Blocked Shots: 2, twice, last vs. Florida Tech, 12/1/05

Minutes: 40 at La Salle, 12/20/05

Field Goals: 8 at DePaul, 12/31/05

Field Goal Attempts: 16, twice, last at Western Kentucky, 2/25/06

3-Point FG: 8 at DePaul, 12/31/05

3-Point FG Attempts: 14 at Western Kentucky, 2/25/06

Free Throws: 3, twice, last vs. New Orleans, 3/3/06

Free Throw Attempts: 5, twice, last vs. Western Kentucky, 1/31/06

Villegas’ Career Statistics