Three Blue Demons Earn All-BIG EAST Conference Honors

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – DePaul landed two players on the second team All-BIG EAST Conference squad and one earned honorable mention the league announced today.

Senior Sammy Mejia and sophomore Wilson Chandler were both selected to the second team while junior Draelon Burns earned honorable mention honors. The league’s head coaches choose the all-league teams.  They are not permitted to vote for their own players.

Center Aaron Gray of Pittsburgh is the only repeat selection on the 2006-07 All-BIG EAST First Team. 

Gray was a unanimous selection along with Georgetown’s Jeff Green and Roy Hibbert, Providence’s Herbert Hill and Syracuse’s Demetris Nichols.

When the BIG EAST membership expanded to 16 teams in 2005-06, the all-league teams also were expanded.  Eleven players made the All-BIG EAST First Team.  On March 6, one of those players will be named BIG EAST Player of the Year when the league announces its individual award winners at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City at 6 p.m. EST.

Gray, a 7-0 senior center, is averaging 14.4 points and 10.1 rebounds while leading the Panthers to a 25-6 overall record and a 12-4 BIG EAST mark.  He has produced 14 double-doubles.  Gray was the BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year.

Green and Hibbert helped lead Georgetown to the BIG EAST regular season crown.  Green, a 6-9 junior forward, is averaging a team-leading 13.6 points.  Hibbert, a 7-2 junior center, is second on the team in scoring with a 12.7 average and is first in rebounding at 6.4. 

Hill, Providence’s most productive player, has made his senior season easily his best.  The 6-10 center is averaging 18.0 points and 8.6 rebounds.  He is the BIG EAST scoring champion, averaging 19.9 points in conference games.  Last season, he averaged 9.0 points and 4.8 rebounds.

Like Hill, Syracuse’s Nichols has made a big impact in his senior season.  The 6-8 forward leads the BIG EAST in scoring in all games, averaging 18.8 points.  He is fifth in the league in free throw shooting, making 86.7 percent.  As a junior, Nichols averaged 13.3 points.

The BIG EAST All-Rookie Team includes three unanimous selections: Jerome Dyson of Connecticut, Eugene Harvey of Seton Hall and Scottie Reynolds of Villanova.

2006-07 All-BIG EAST First Team

*Jeff Green, Georgetown, Jr., 6-9, 235, Hyattsville, Md.

*Roy Hibbert, Georgetown, Jr., 7-2, 283, Adelphi, Md.

Dominic James, Marquette, So., 5-11, 175, Richmond, Ind.

Russell Carter, Notre Dame, Sr., 6-4, 220, Paulsboro, N.J.

Colin Falls, Notre Dame, Sr., 6-5, 200, Park Ridge, Ill.

*Aaron Gray, Pittsburgh, Sr., 7-0, 270, Emmaus, Pa.

*Herbert Hill, Providence, Sr. 6-10, 240, Kinston, N.C.

Lamont Hamilton, St. John’s, Sr., 6-10, 255, Brooklyn, N.Y.

*Demetris Nichols, Syracuse, Sr., 6-8, 212, Boston, Mass.

Curtis Sumpter, Villanova, Sr., 6-7, 225, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Frank Young, West Virginia, Sr., 6-5, 215, Tallahassee, Fla.

2006-07 All-BIG EAST Second Team

Jeff Adrien, Connecticut, So., 6-7, 238, Brookline, Mass.

Wilson Chandler, DePaul, So. 6-8, 210, Benton Harbor, Mich.

Sammy Mejia, DePaul, Sr., 6-6, 195, Bronx, N.Y.

David Padgett, Louisville, Jr., 6-11, 250, Reno, Nev.

Terrence Williams, Louisville, So., 6-6, 220, Seattle, Wash.

Jerel McNeal, Marquette, So., 6-3, 185, Chicago, Ill.

Levance Fields, Pittsburgh, So., 5-10, 190, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Brian Laing, Seton Hall, Jr., 6-5, 215, Bronx, N.Y.

Kentrell Gransberry, USF, Jr., 6-9, 270, Baton Rouge, La.

Scottie Reynolds, Villanova, Fr., 6-2, 195, Herndon, Va.

2006-07 All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention

Draelon Burns, DePaul, Jr., 6-4, 220, Milwaukee, Wis.

Jonathan Wallace, Georgetown, Jr., 6-1, 188, Harvest, Ala.

Sharaud Curry, Providence, So., 5-10, 165, Gainesville, Ga.

Geoff McDermott, Providence, So., 6-7, 240, New Rochelle, N.Y.

McHugh Mattis, USF, Sr., 6-6, 190, North Lauderdale, Fla.

Eric Devendorf, Syracuse, So., 6-4, 175, Bay City, Mich.

Mike Nardi, Villanova, Sr. 6-2, 170, Linden, N.J.

BIG EAST All-Rookie Team

Deonta Vaughn, Cincinnati, Fr., 6-1, 200, Indianapolis, Ind.

*Jerome Dyson, Connecticut, Fr., 6-3, 190, Rockville, Md.

Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut, Fr., 7-3, 255, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

DaJuan Summers, Georgetown, Fr., 6-8, 235, Baltimore, Md.

Edgar Sosa, Louisville, Fr., 6-2, 170, New York, N.Y.

Luke Harangody, Notre Dame, Fr., 6-8, 250, Schererville, Ind.

Tory Jackson, Notre Dame, Fr., 5-10, 185, Saginaw, Mich.

*Eugene Harvey, Seton Hall, Fr., 6-0, 165, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Paul Harris, Syracuse, Fr., 6-5, 228, Niagara Falls, N.Y.

*Scottie Reynolds, Villanova, Fr., 6-2, 195, Herndon, Va.

Da’Sean Butler, West Virginia, Fr., 6-7, 205, Newark, N.J.

*denotes unanimous selection

DePaul University Athletics

Three Blue Demons Earn All-BIG EAST Conference Honors

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