FIU Athletics

2016-17 (Graduate Year): A welcome addition to the FIU roster, Kessens took full advantage of his one-year of remaining eligibility after graduating and transferring from Alabama … Played in 29 of the Panthers’ 31 games, starting in all 29 … Was second on the team in scoring, averaging 12.9 points-per-game, and grabbed a team-leading 9.0 rebounds-per-outing which was second in Conference USA … Led the team in field goal shooting by hitting 56.5 percent (152-of-269) of his shots from the floor, which was fifth in C-USA … Also shared the team lead in blocked shots with 16 … Posted nine double-doubles during the season, which tied him for sixth in the league … Scored in double figures in 23 games, including a season-high of 21, twice, against Youngstown State (11/20) and at Florida Atlantic (1/7) … Was near-perfect offensively against the Penguins, shooting 8-of-9 (88.9 percent) from the floor, 5-of-6 (83.3 percent) from the free-throw line, and 8-of-17 (47.1 percent) from the field, including 1-of-1 (100.0 percent) from three-point range and 4-of-6 (66.7 percent) from the line against the Owls … Also had 19 points against Jacksonville (11/19) and 18 points at Louisiana Tech (2/18) … Had a record-setting game at Elon (11/30) scoring 17 points and grabbing an FIU single-game-record 23 rebounds against the Phoenix … His 23 boards ended up being tied for the fifth-most recorded in a game during the season in Division I … Kessens also had back-to-back games of 13 rebounds at Stetson (11/14) and 17 boards at South Alabama (11/18) … Also grabbed 12 rebounds at Old Dominion (2/2) … Tied his career-high with four assists in his FIU debut against Florida Memorial (11/11) … Also equaled his career-best in steals with three in back-to-back games – his final two games of his collegiate career – at Middle Tennessee (3/2) and at UAB (3/4).

2015-16 (Junior Year at Alabama): Played in all 33 contests, starting 21 games … Connected on 48-of-86 shots on the year to rank third on team in field goal percentage (.558) … Scored a season-high 10 points at Ole Miss (1/7) while grabbing a team-best seven boards … Led the team and tied his season high with nine rebounds in the win over Norfolk State (1/2) … Scored nine points on 2-of-3 shooting while making all four of his free throw attempts in the win over Jacksonville State (12/29) … Posted eight points while grabbing five rebounds and recording two assists against Missouri (2/6) … Came off the bench for a team best nine rebounds while scoring eight points on 4-of-5 shooting  in the win over then-No. 17 Notre Dame (11/29) … Shot a perfect 4-of-4 and tallied eight points in the season opener against Kennesaw State (11/13) … Went 3-of-4 shooting to score seven points in 15 minutes at Dayton (11/17) … Finished with seven points, including a pair of emphatic dunks to seal the win over Auburn (2/27) … grabbed four rebounds while scoring four points and dishing out two assists in his first win this year in the win over Winthrop (12/16) … Finished with four points and four rebounds in the win at Clemson (12/13).

2014-15 (Sophomore Year at Alabama): Played 32 games, making 10 starts … Led the team with 5.2 rebounds per game … Finished second in field goal percentage at 50.0 percent … Led the team in rebounding a team-high 10 times … Tied for team lead with two double-doubles … Recorded 17 points and 10 rebounds against Appalachian State (12/21) … Scored 18 points and grabbed a season-high 12 rebounds in the win over North Florida (1/2) … Scored 10 points in his first career SEC game against Texas A&M (1/6) … Also finished with 10 points in the NIT second round gameagainst Miami (3/21) … Earned his first start at Alabama against Tennessee Tech scoring seven points and adding five rebounds … Scored five points and secured four rebounds against Western Carolina in his first game at Alabama.

2013-14 (Redshirt Season): Sat out the season due NCAA transfer rules … Transferred from Longwood University prior to the start of the 2013-14 season.

2012-13 (Freshman Year at Longwood): Played rookie season at Longwood University for current FIU assistant coach Mike Gillian who was head coach of the Lancers ... Earned numerous accolades, including selection to the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Freshmen All-America Team and Big South Freshman of the Year … Voted the Virginia Sports Information Directors Association (VaSID) Rookie of the Year, encompassing all Division I schools in the state of Virginia, also being named to the Big South Conference All-Freshman Team … Picked up a league-leading four Big South Freshman of the Week awards during the season … In the quarterfinals of the 2013 Big South Conference Tournament against VMI, scored a season-high and tournament-record 36 points on 13-of-21 shooting, adding 16 rebounds in a season-ending loss … Averaged 13.7 points and 8.8 rebounds in 33 games played … His 11 double-doubles included one in his second game … Started all 33 games, averaging 32.7 minutes.

Prep Career: Led Lycee Europe Robert Schumann in Cholet, France, to French High School championship as a senior … Played in the French Under-21 Championship in 2009 and 2010 … Pre-selected on German Under-20 National Team in 2010 … Played club basketball for Cholet Basket in Cholet.

Personal Data: While using his fnal year of eligibility, Kessens will be working towards his master’s degree … Born Feb. 16, 1991 in Geneva, Switzerland … Son of Walburga Kessens and Abdi Goddah Barre … Team member of French Under-21 champions in both 2009 and 2010.  

Career Highs through the 2016-17 season
Points: 36 vs. VMI (3/7/13)*
Rebounds: 23 at Elon (11/30/16)
Assists: 4 4X, last vs. Florida Memorial (11/11/16)
Steals: 3 4X, last at UAB (3/4/17)
Blocked: Shots  4 2X, last vs. Dartmouth (12/1/12)*
Minutes: 40 2X, last at Elon (11/30/16)
Field Goals Made: 13 vs. VMI (3/7/13)*
Field Goals Attempts: 21 vs. VMI (3/7/13)*
Three-Point Field Goals Made: 1 11X, last at Louisiana Tech (2/18/17)
Three-Point Field Attempted: 3 2X, last vs. Liberty (1/22/13)*
Free Throws Made: 10 vs. VMI (3/7/13)*
Free Throw Attempts: 12 vs. VMI (3/7/13)*
* Career-high set while playing at Longwood