(March 8, 2005) ?C Fordham freshman forward Bryant Dunston (Queens, NY/St. John??s Prep) was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year it was announced tonight at the Commissioner??s Award Banquet at Paul Brown Stadium. Dunston was also named Second Team All-Atlantic 10 as well as to the All-Rookie Team, along with freshman guard Marcus Stout, while senior center Mushon Ya??akosi was named to the All-Academic Team. The Rams finished the regular season with a 12-15 overall record, 8-8 in the Atlantic 10. The eight conference wins is the most for the Rams since joining the league in 1995-96 and the 12 overall wins are the most since the 2000-01 team went 12-17. Dunston, who was named Rookie of the Week six times this winter, leads the Rams with a 14.9 ppg average, seventh best in the conference, and with an 8.7 rpg average, second best in the league. He also leads the Rams with 62 blocks on the year, the third best total in the Atlantic 10 and is shooting 52.5% (145-276) from the field, the second best in the conference this year. Dunston set a Fordham freshman record with 20 points in his collegiate debut against St. Francis on November 20th. The 20 points broke the freshman debut record of Bevon Robin who netted 14 points in his first collegiate game at Holy Cross on November 16, 1997. On the year, Dunston has accumulated 402 points, the second most by a Fordham freshman, behind Robin who netted 495 points in 1997-98. Dunston, who has scored in double figures in 21 of the 27 games this year, also set the school freshman record for most consecutive double-digit scoring games to open a career as he netted double figures in each of the first four games for the Rams. The last Ram to score in double figures in his first two collegiate games was Robin in 1997-98. Dunston also has notched eight double-doubles on the year, the most ever for a Fordham freshman. Dunston becomes the second Fordham player to earn Rookie of the Year honors joining Robin who won the award in 1998. Joining Dunston on the All-Rookie team is Marcus Stout who averaged 12.7 ppg, second best on the team and 12th best in the Atlantic 10, and 3.0 rpg in his freshman campaign while also recording 67 assists, third best on the squad. Ya??akosi, a senior computer science major, earns Academic All-Conference honors after compiling a 3.22 GPA over his three-year career. He is averaging 7.4 ppg and 6.8 rpg in 2004-05. He is second on the team in rebounding, seventh in the conference, and is also second on the team with 21 blocks. The Rams, the fourth seed from the East Division, open the Atlantic 10 Tournament on Wednesday, March 9th as they face Duquesne University, the fifth seed from the West, at 6:30 p.m. at the U.S. Bank Arena.