Andrew Nicholson Named Atlantic 10 Player of the Year

March 5, 2012 2012 Atlantic 10 Awards Release NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – St. Bonaventure's Andrew Nicholson has been named the Atlantic 10 Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year, the league office announced Monday. Nicholson embarked on an unprecedented run down the stretch of the Atlantic 10 schedule, averaging 25.3 points and 11.5 rebounds over the final eight conference games to help SBU secure the No. 4 seed and a bye in the Atlantic 10 Championship at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall. The senior also earned his second consecutive First Team All-Conference and All-Defensive Team plaudits. He became the first player ever in the Atlantic 10 to earn four straight Player of the Week awards, putting the finishing touches on a regular season that included his 2,000th career point, seven double-doubles, the first 20-20 game since Bob Lanier in 1967, his 200th career block and the Bonnies' best win percentage since 1999-00. Nicholson led the conference in scoring (20.6 in league games) and ranked third in rebounding (9.3), while shooting 62 percent from the field overall and an incredible 46 percent from beyond the arc. Named Rookie of the Year in 2008-09, the Mississauga native bookends his career with the league's top honor. He is the seventh player in the 35-year history of the league to earn both Rookie and Player of the Year honors and the first Bona hoopster to earn the top overall award since Earl Belcher won two in a row in 1980 and 81. Temple head coach Fran Dunphy earned his second Coach of the Year honor in three seasons. Saint Joseph's sophomore forward C.J. Aiken was named the Defensive Player of the Year while Richmond freshman Kendall Anthony was selected as the Rookie of the Year. Sophomore forward Ronald Roberts of Saint Joseph's was voted the Sixth Man of the Year and La Salle senior guard Earl Pettis earned the Chris Daniels Most Improved Player Award. Nicholson and the Bonnies (17-11, 10-6) notched the program's third double-digit A-10-win season and will play the winner of the No. 12 Charlotte/No. 5 Saint Joseph's matchup at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Mar. 9. Coach of the Year Fran Dunphy, Temple Player of the Year Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure Defensive Player of the Year C.J. Aiken, Saint Joseph's Rookie of the Year Kendall Anthony, Richmond Sixth Man of the Year Ronald Roberts, Saint Joseph's Chris Daniels Most Improved Player Earl Pettis, La Salle First Team All-Conference Chaz Williams, Massachusetts Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure Brian Conklin, Saint Louis Ramone Moore, Temple Tu Holloway, Xavier Second Team All-Conference Kevin Dillard, Dayton Chris Gaston, Fordham Ramon Galloway, La Salle Langston Galloway, Saint Joseph's Khalif Wyatt, Temple Third Team All-Conference Chris Braswell, Charlotte T.J. McConnell, Duquesne Kwamain Mitchell, Saint Louis Juan Fernandez, Temple Mark Lyons, Xavier All-Conference Honorable Mention Chris Johnson, Dayton Earl Pettis, La Salle Carl Jones, Saint Joseph's Halil Kanacevic, Saint Joseph's All-Defensive Team T.J. McConnell, Duquesne Darrius Garrett, Richmond Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure C.J. Aiken, Saint Joseph's Jordair Jett, Saint Louis All-Rookie Team Pierria Henry, Charlotte Jarrell Wright, La Salle Jonathan Holton, Rhode Island Kendall Anthony, Richmond Dezmine Wells, Xavier