Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Official Athletics Website

Chris Thomas Tabbed National Freshman of the Year by Basketball Times

March 27, 2002

Notre Dame, Ind. – Notre Dame freshman point guard Chris Thomas (Indianapolis, Ind.) has been selected the national freshman of the year by Basketball Times Magazine it was announced on Tuesday. Thomas is the first Notre Dame player to earn freshman honor. In addition, senior forward Ryan Humphrey (Tulsa, Okla.) has been named to the Basketball Times all-Mideast team.

Thomas, the 2002 BIG EAST Rookie of the Year and a third-team all-BIG EAST selection, was the team’s second-leading scorer in 2001-02 as he averaged 15.6 points per game. He set Notre Dame single-season marks for assists (252), steals (72 and average for steals per game (2.18). He also tied the single season assist average record (7.64), sharing that mark with Jackie Meehan (1970-71).

Thomas recorded the first triple double in Notre Dame basketball when he scored 24 points, dished off 11 assists and made 11 steals in his first collegiate outing on Nov. 16, 2001 against New Hampshire. He scored in double figures in 24 games during the season and registered seven double double doubles. The six-time BIG EAST rookie-of-the-week honoree also scored 20-plus point in nine and led the Irish in scoring on nine occasions.

Humphrey, a first-team all-BIG EAST selection, averaged 18.9 points and 10.9 rebounds during the ’01-’02 campaign as the team’s leading scorer and rebounder. He also averaged 2.81 blocked shots and set the Notre Dame single-season blocked shots record with 87. In addition, his 2.77 career blocked-shot average set a new Irish career mark. Humphrey also registered a double-double in the final 11 games of the season and led the Irish with 22 during the season.