Troy Ruths Named D3hoops.com National Player of the Year

St. Louis, Mo., March 24, 2008 – Washington University in St. Louis senior forward Troy Ruths capped an illustrious career by being named the D3hoops.com Division III Men’s Basketball Player of the Year, as announced by the Web site following the NCAA Championship game on Saturday in Salem, Va.

Ruths, who received the Jostens Trophy on March 20, capped a run to the school’s first national championship with 33 points and eight rebounds in WU’s 90-68 victory over defending national champion Amherst College in the title game.

"It’s all hard to take in right now: winning a national championship and being named national player of the year," said Ruths. "I’m honored to be considered the player of the year, and I know my candidacy for the award is directly tied to the team’s success.  So I’m grateful to my team, to my coaches, and to all the stars aligning that brought us to the national championship."

Ruths, a first-team all-University Athletic Association (UAA), D3hoops.com Midwest Region and National Basketball Coaches Association (NABC) All-District selection in 2008, averaged a UAA-best 20.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game for the Bears. During Washington U.’s run to the national championship, Ruths poured in 31.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game while shooting 71.4 (2028) percent from the field and 88.5 (23-26) percent from the free-throw line.

Ruths, who ranks second on the Washington University’s all-time scoring list with 1,801 points, notched double-figure scoring in 89 of his last 91 games played. For his career, he scored in double figures in 93 games and averaged 16.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest. Ruths ends his four-year stint on the Danforth Campus ranked first in career games played (109), second in field goals made (672) and free-throws made (457), third in rebounds (709) and fifth in blocks (137).

"After the great year Troy had, it’s rewarding to see him earn this player of the year award," said Washington University head coach Mark Edwards. "It’s one more accolade that is well deserved, and adds to his memory book of his career."

The 2007 and 2008 ESPN The Magazine College Division Academic All-America of the Year, Ruths was a three-time Academic All-UAA, first-team Academic All-District VII and first-team Academic All-America selection. He has a 4.0 grade point average and will graduate in May with a degree in computer science.