March 10, 2009

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Georgetown University freshman men's basketball player Greg Monroe (New Orleans, La./Helen Cox) was named the BIG EAST Conference's Rookie of the Year on Tuesday at a press conference at Madison Square Garden.

Georgetown lost in the first round of the BIG EAST Tournament, 64-59, to St. John's on Tuesday afternoon. The Hoyas are now 16-14 overall.`

The 6-11, 240-pound center has made his impact felt from the first game of the season, scoring 14 points, grabbing seven rebounds and blocking five shots in a win over Jacksonville.

The 6-10, 240-pound center, who was tabbed as the Preseason BIG EAST Co-Rookie of the Year with Louisville forward Samardo Samuels at the annual Media Day in October, is second on the team in scoring (12.7 ppg), leads the team in rebounding (6.7 rpg), blocked shots (1.5 bpg) and steals (1.9 spg) and is second on the team in assists (2.5 apg).

He ranks among the leaders in the BIG EAST in several statistical categories, standing sixth in steals, ninth in field goal percentage, 10th in blocked shots and 19th in rebounding.

In BIG EAST games, Monroe led the team in scoring with 12.9 points per game, averaged 7.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.9 steals while connecting on 55.9 percent of his field goals. He ranked 28th in the league in scoring, tied for 14th in rebounding, 10th in field goal percentage and fifth in the league in steals.

During the course of the season, Monroe earned three BIG EAST Rookie of the Week Awards. He has scored in double figures 26 times this season and has registered four double-doubles. Monroe scored a career-high 21 points and had 10 rebounds in a loss at Notre Dame and twice posted a career-high of 11 rebounds, first in a win over Providence (along with 13 points and a career-high eight assists) and then in a loss at Syracuse (scoring 16 points).

Monroe, who has four double-doubles this year in points and rebounds, has had 20 games this season with at least two assists, 15 games with at least two blocked shots and 16 with at least two steals.

Monroe is the sixth Georgetown player to be named the BIG EAST Rookie of the Year, joining Jeff Green (2004-05), Allen Iverson (1994-95), Othella Harrington (1992-93), Patrick Ewing (1981-82) and Fred Brown (1980-81).