March 12, 2009

MBB: EKPERIGIN NAMED DAKTRONICS EAST REGION PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Albany, N.Y. - Le Moyne College junior forward Laurence Ekperigin (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Walter Panas) has been named the 2008-09 Daktronics NCAA Division II men's basketball East Region Player of the Year, as voted upon by the Sports Information Directors throughout the region and announced on Wednesday afternoon. Ekperigin also earned a spot on the NABC All-District East First Team, as selected and voted upon by member coaches and announced by the association on Friday.

Ekperigin, named the 2009 Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Year and a First Team All-Northeast-10 selection for the second consecutive season, also garnered a spot on the Daktronics All-East Region First Team. Ekperigin, a seven-time Northeast-10 player of the week, is the first junior to pick up Regional Player of the Year laurels since UMass Lowell's Stacy Moragne received the honor in 2005. Joining Ekperigin on the first team are C.W. Post senior guard Jonathan Schmidt, Bridgeport senior forward Teairez Stennis, Merrimack junior guard Darren Duncan and Bentley junior guard Jason Westrol.

Le Moyne's scoring leader for the second consecutive season, Ekperigin ranks third in the conference at 18.3 points per contest. Ekperigin leads the conference in rebounding at 11.4 per game and is second among Division II players nationally, while also leading the league with a 68.4-percent field goal percentage (4th nationally) and 81 blocked shots (tied for 7th nationally). The national leader in double-doubles with 21, Ekperigin scored in double figures in 29 of 31 games, including each of the last 25 games, while also posting double digits in rebounds on 22 occasions.

On December 13, Ekperigin poured in a career-best 40 points, one point shy of the College's single game record. In Le Moyne's 77-68 win at The College of Saint Rose on February 10, Ekperigin posted the second-highest scoring output of his career with 30 points, grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds and tied the school record with seven blocked shots. Through 89 career games, Ekperigin has 1,360 points and 831 rebounds, to rank 11th and seventh, respectively, in Le Moyne's history. Ekperigin is one of only four players in Le Moyne's 61-season history to record 1,300 points and 800 rebounds.

With eight rebounds and four blocks against Assumption in the Northeast-10 Championship game last Saturday, Ekperigin set the program's single-season record in each category. Ekperigin passed Jene Grey '79 for most rebounds in a season with 354, eclipsing Grey's total of 351 in 1977-78 and topped John Tomsich's mark of 78 blocks in 1995-96 with 81 this season. Ekperigin scored 567 points in 31 games, the most points by a junior and the fourth-most in a season by a Dolphin, while also posting the highest total since Adam Stockwell '96 recorded 633 in the 1995-96 season.

Le Moyne finished the season at 20-11, including wins in 13 of its final 15 games, to record the most victories in a season since the 1997-98 campaign.

The 2008-09 Daktronics men's basketball All-America team will be announced in conjunction with the NCAA Division II "Elite Eight" in Springfield, MA on Tuesday, March 24. The five first-team members from each of the country's eight regions are placed on the national ballot with Division II SIDs selecting first, second and third-team All-America honorees.

2008-09 Daktronics NCAA Division II Men's Basketball
East All-Region Teams

&-2008-09 Daktronics East Region Player of the Year
*-2007-08 Daktronics first-team All-Northeast selection
#-2007-08 Daktronics second-team All-Northeast selection