March 28, 2011
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Irish guard Ben Hansbrough (Poplar Bluff, Mo.) was named to the Associated Press All-America second team. It marks the first AP All-America honor for the senior guard and the fourth consecutive year that a Notre Dame player has earned AP All-America accolades.
Hansbrough, the BIG EAST Player of the Year, becomes the 10th different player to be named an Associated Press and honored to one of the three teams.
The AP first team was comprised of Jimmer Fredette (BYU), Nolan Smith (Duke), Jarred Sullinger (Ohio State), Kemba Walker (Connecticut) and JaJuan Johnson (Purdue).
Joining Hansbrough on the second team was Marcus Morris (Kansas), Derrick Williams (Arizona), Jordan Taylor (Wisconsin) and Kawhi Leonard (San Diego Diego State)
Marshon Brooks of Providence College was the third BIG EAST player named to one of the three AP All-America teams as he was a third-team honoree. Also named to third team were Jordan Hamilton (Texas), Kenneth Faried (Morehead State), Jacob Pullen (Kansas State) and Tu Holloway (Xavier).
Hansbrough finished this season as Notre Dame’s leading scorer with an 18.4 scoring average. In addition to averaging 3.9 rebounds per game, he led the Irish in assists (145) and steals (41). Despite only playing two seasons in an Irish uniform after transferring in June of 2008 from Mississippi State, Hansbrough scored 1044 points at Notre Dame and started all 69 career games with the Irish. He closed out his career at Notre Dame with a 15.1 career scoring average.
The only unanimous selection on the all-BIG EAST teams, he finished as the conference’s third leading scorer at 20.7 points per game and also grabbed 4.1 rebounds and dished off 4.3 assists in 18 league outings. On 20 occasions Hansbrough led the Irish in scoring, reaching double figures in all but two contests, topping the 30-point mark on two occasions and netting 20-plus point 14 times.
Notre Dame past AP All-Americans have included Kevin O’Shea (1948-50), Tom Hawkins (1958-59), Austin Carr (1970-71), John Shumate (1974), Adrian Dantley (1975-76), Kelly Tripucka (1979), Pat Garrity (1998), Troy Murphy (2000-01) and Luke Harangody (2008-10).