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Pitt Honors Men's Basketball Team With Annual Awards Banquet

Sam Young named team's Most Valuable Player.

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April 13, 2008

PITTSBURGH--Junior forward Sam Young was named the Most Valuable Player as the University of Pittsburgh recognized its 2007-08 men's basketball team with its annual awards banquet Sunday at the Downtown Hilton. A crowd of approximately 400 alums, Panther Club members, fans, coaches, family members, support staff and student-athletes attended the event.

The event featured an inspiring highlight video of the season, speeches from Athletic Director Steve Pederson and Head Coach Jamie Dixon. Voice of the Panthers Bill Hillgrove served as Master of Ceremonies.

Ten team awards were announced by Dixon. Young earned the Most Valuable Player Award after he led the Panthers in scoring (18.1 ppg.) and set Pitt's single season scoring record with 668 points. A First Team All-Big East selection, consensus All-Region selection, 2008 Big East Most Improved Player award winner, Young earned the 2008 Big East Tournament Most Outstanding Player award after he averaged 20.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in Pitt's four games.

Several other student-athletes received awards. Senior Ronald Ramon was honored with the Best Defensive Player Award and the Jaron Brown Pursuit of Academic Excellence Award. Seniors Keith Benjamin, Mike Cook and Ramon were honored with the Captain Award for leadership. Benjamin and Ramon became the seventh and eighth players in school history to compete in four straight NCAA Tournaments and win 20-plus overall games and post 10-plus league wins in four consecutive seasons. Freshmen Brad Wanamaker and Gary McGhee were awarded as co-Most Improved Player Award recipients. Cook was named the team's Free Throw Shooting leader after converting 83.3 percent and freshman DeJuan Blair was the team's top rebounder (9.1 rpg.). Junior Tyrell Biggs and redshirt freshman Gilbert Brown both received the Coaches Award for outstanding attitude. Senior Maurice Polen received the team's Academic Excellence Award for his success in the classroom.

Pitt concluded the 2007-08 season with a 27-10 overall and 10-8 Big East Conference record. The Panthers captured their second all-time Big East Tournament title, advanced to a school record seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament, won 20-plus games for a school record seventh straight year and won 10-plus Big East games for the seventh straight season. Pitt is the only team in the Big East Conference to accomplish those achievements.

TEAM HONORS

Most Valuable Player: Sam Young

Most Improved Player: Brad Wanamaker, Gary McGhee

Best Defensive Player: Ronald Ramon

Captain Award: Keith Benjamin, Mike Cook, Ronald Ramon

Team Rebounding Leader: DeJuan Blair (9.1 rpg.)

Free Throw Shooting Leader: Mike Cook (83.3 percent)

Most Inspirational Player: Levance Fields

Coaches Award: Tyrell Biggs, Gilbert Brown

Academic Excellence Award: Maurice Polen

Jaron Brown Pursuit of Academic Excellence Award: Ronald Ramon

PITT'S 2007-08 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

*Captured the University of Pittsburgh's second Big East Championship title (2003 and 2008) with four wins in four consecutive days. With its 74-65 victory over Georgetown on March 15, Pitt became just the second team in Big East Conference history to achieve the feat after winning four straight games.

*Advanced to the NCAA Tournament for a school record seventh consecutive season and 20^th time in school history. Previously, Pitt appeared in three straight NCAA Tournaments from 1987-89. The seven consecutive appearances rank as the most in the Big East Conference. Villanova ranks second with four straight NCAA Tournament appearances while Georgetown and Marquette rank third with three.

*Pitt ranks among the nation's top-7 programs in most NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen appearances over the last seven seasons while only three programs nationally have advanced to more Sweet Sixteens in the last seven seasons. Those programs include: Kansas-5, Texas-5, Duke-5, Pitt-4, Connecticut-4, Michigan State-4 and UCLA-4.

*Became one of only nine schools nationwide to advance to the NCAA Tournament in each of the past seven seasons (2001-08). The nine schools include: Arizona, Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State, Pitt, Texas and Wisconsin.

*Compiled a 189-51 record over the past seven seasons (2001-08) and .788 winning percentage, which ranks among the nation's top-five best winning percentages during that span. The .788 winning percentage ranks No. 1 in the Big East during that period.

*Achieved a school record seventh straight 20-win season (27-10). It was Pitt's 15^th all-time 20-win season. The 27 wins rank fifth among Pitt's all-time winningest seasons.

*Surpassed 20 wins overall and 10 wins in Big East regular season play for a school record seventh consecutive season. Pitt is the only Big East program to have won over 20 overall games and 10 league games in each of the past seven seasons. Additionally, Pitt is one of only three schools nationally to appear in the NCAA Tournament and win 20 overall and 10 league games in each of the last seven seasons: Gonzaga, Kansas and Pitt.

*Achieved a school record and seventh straight 10-win Big East regular season (10-8). Over the last seven years, Pitt owns an 81-33 record and .711 winning percentage in Big East regular season games, which ranks first in the conference during that period.

*Advanced to its seventh Big East Championship Final over the past eight seasons. Pitt has now appeared in Big East Championship title games in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008. No Big East program has ever accomplished that feat.

*Head Coach Jamie Dixon became the first coach in school history to guide Pitt to five straight NCAA Tournaments (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008) and five straight 20-win overall and 10-win league seasons.

*Head Coach Jamie Dixon concluded his fifth season at Pitt with a 132-40 overall record (.767 winning percentage). His 132 wins rank tied for the third most wins for an NCAA Division I head basketball coach after five seasons as a head coach: 1. Everett Case, North Carolina State (137 wins from 1947-51), 2. Mark Few, Gonzaga (133 wins from 2000-04), 3. Jamie Dixon, Pitt (132 wins from 2003-08), 3. Roy Williams, Kansas (132 wins from 1989-93).

*Dixon concluded the 2006-07 season as the winningest coach in Big East history with a current .680 winning percentage in league games (66-31). Following Dixon are: 2. John Thompson, Georgetown (.653), 3. Jim Calhoun, Connecticut (.643), 4. Jim Boeheim, Syracuse (.638) and 5. Lou Carnesseca, St. John's (.635).

*Seniors Keith Benjamin, Mike Cook, Maurice Polen and Ronald Ramon concluded their career with a 101-35 overall record and .743 winning percentage. Benjamin and Ramon became the seventh and eighth players to compete in four straight NCAA Tournaments.

*Earned three Big East postseason awards, the second highest total in school history. Sam Young was named the league's Most Improved Player, DeJuan Blair was named co-Big East Rookie of the Year and Ronald Ramon earned co-Sportsmanship Award honors. Additionally, Young became just the seventh player in school history to earn First Team All-Big East honors and was crowned the Big East Tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

*Sam Young and Ronald Ramon became the 35^th and 36^th players in school history to surpass the 1,000-point milestone.

*Concluded its sixth year in the Petersen Events Center with a 96-10 all-time record and .906 winning percentage (16-0 in 2002-03, 19-1 in 2003-04, 13-4 in 2004-05, 16-1 in 2005-06, 16-2 in 2006-07 and 16-2 in 2007-08). The 96-10 record and .906 winning percentage ranks among the nation's top-10 best marks since the arena opened in 2002.

*Sold out the Petersen Events Center for the sixth consecutive season and has enjoyed a string of 113 consecutive sellouts dating back to a January 12, 2002 game against Notre Dame.

2007-08 SENIOR CLASS NOTES

Pitt's senior class consisting of Keith Benjamin, Mike Cook, Maurice Polen and Ronald Ramon competed in its final season at Pitt. The foursome has compiled some impressive achievements and numbers over the last four seasons:

*Captured the 2008 Big East Tournament title.

*Four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008).

*One Sweet Sixteen Appearance (2007).

*101-35 overall record and .743 winning percentage.

*42-24 Big East regular season record and .636 winning percentage.

*Three Big East Championship Finals appearances (2006, 2007 and 2008) and 9-3 Big East Championship overall record.

*Four consecutive 20-win seasons.

*Four consecutive 10-plus win Big East regular seasons.

*One of only five classes in school history to win over 100 career games.

*Became the only senior class in the Big East to win over 20 overall games and 10-plus Big East regular season games in four consecutive seasons.

*Benjamin and Ramon became the seventh and eighth players in school history to compete in four consecutive NCAA Tournaments during their basketball career at Pitt.

*61-9 four-year record and .871 winning percentage in games played at the Petersen Events Center.

*46-4 four-year record and .920 winning percentage in games played vs. non-conference teams.

*Ramon became the 36^th player in school history to surpass the 1,000-point mark in his career.

*All four student-athletes are on pace to graduate with a degree from the University of Pittsburgh: Keith Benjamin-Administration of Justice; Mike Cook-Communications; Maurice Polen-Psychology; Ronald Ramon-Communications.

2007-08 HONORS AND AWARDS (as of April 4, 2008)

ALL-AMERICA

Associated Press All-America honorable mention: Sam Young

Collegeinsider.com Freshman All-America: DeJuan Blair

CollegeHoops.net Freshman All-America honorable mention: DeJuan Blair

John Wooden Award finalist: Sam Young

Naismith Award candidate: Sam Young

Bob Cousy Award nominee: Levance Fields

Rivals.com Freshman of the Week: DeJuan Blair (3-time winner)

ALL-REGION

USBWA All-Region: Sam Young

NABC All-District 3: First Team- Sam Young, Second Team-DeJuan Blair