DePaul University Athletics
Cleveland Melvin Named BIG EAST Rookie of the Year
3/8/2011 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S BASKETBALL
March 8, 2011
BlueTube: Melvin Highlights
NEW YORK - DePaul freshman Cleveland Melvin was selected by the 16 coaches from the BIG EAST as the league's Rookie of the Year on Tuesday. Melvin led all rookies in scoring throughout the season and earned a league-best four Rookie of the Week honors this season.
Melvin is the second DePaul freshman to win conference honors joining Quentin Richardson. Richardson was named the Conference USA Freshman of the Year in 1999.
Melvin was the BIG EAST's top freshman scorer with a 14.3 average and ranked fifth in field goal shooting, making 52.2 percent. Melvin, who came to the Blue Demons from Baltimore, Md., was even more productive in conference competition, averaging 17.4 ppg which ranked sixth in the league. Melvin's award is the first for a DePaul player since the Blue Demons joined the BIG EAST in 2005-06.
He finished the 2010-11 campaign with 19 games in double-figures, eight games of at least 20 points and two games with 10 or more rebounds. His 40 blocked shots are tied for 16th on DePaul's season blocked shots chart. Melvin finished the regular season ranked in the league's top 13 in BIG EAST games only in scoring, rebounding, offensive rebounds, field goal percentage and blocked shots.
Melvin was joined on the honor list by three members of the Notre Dame basketball program. Ben Hansbrough was named the BIG EAST Player of the Year and Mike Brey was named Oppenheimer Funds Coach of the Year. Tim Abromaitis was also chosen as the American Eagle Outfitters BIG EAST Men's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The selection was made by the Conference's Academic Affairs Committee.
