(April 20, 2005) ?C Fordham University freshman forward Bryant Dunston (Queens, NY/St. John??s Prep) was named Division I Rookie of the Year by the National Invitation Tournament and the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association. This is the second Rookie of the Year award for Dunston who was also named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year as well as being named Second Team All-Atlantic 10. Dunston, who was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week six times this winter, led the Rams with a 14.9 ppg average, seventh best in the conference, and with an 8.6 rpg average, second best in the league. His 62 blocks on the year was also a team-high and the second best total in the Atlantic 10. Dunston shot 52.0% (154-296) 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 accumulated 431 points, the second most by a Fordham freshman, behind Robin who netted 495 points in 1997-98. Dunston, who scored in double figures in 23 of the 29 games on the 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 notched nine double-doubles on the year, the most ever for a Fordham freshman. Dunston becomes the first Fordham player to earn Metropolitan Basketball Writers Rookie of the Year honors and the second to earn Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year honors, joining Robin who won the award in 1998. The Rams finished the season with a 13-16 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 13 overall wins are the most since the 1999-2000 team went 14-15.