Luke Harangody is averaging 24.2 points per game and 12.5 rebounds per game this season.

Luke Harangody Named Midseason Candidate For Naismith Trophy

Feb. 25, 2009

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame junior forward Luke Harangody (Schererville, Ind.) has been named as one of 30 midseason candidates for the 2009 Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T. Harangody is averaging 24.2 points and 12.5 rebounds this season.

The top 30 men’s list was voted on by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors, which is comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country. The board based its criteria on player performances this season. The vote was tabulated and certified by the accounting firm of Habif, Arogeti & Wynne, LLP. HA&W is the largest independent accounting firm in Georgia and one of the top 50 firms in the United States. The Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T is the most prestigious national basketball award and is given annually to the men’s college basketball player of the year. This year, the award will be presented at the NCAA Men’s Final Four in Detroit.

Harangody is the only player in the nation to rank in the top six in both scoring average and rebounds per game this season. After missing two games early in the season due to pneumonia, the junior has scored in double figures in 18 of 19 contests since his return. Overall this season, he has reached double figures in 23 of 24 games.

The junior has posted 19 double-doubles this season, which matches his total from last season. Those totals rank sixth in school history. He also ranks sixth in Fighting Irish history with 44 career double-doubles. Harangody recently became just the seventh player in the 104-year history of the Notre Dame basketball program to score 1,500 points and grab 800 rebounds. He currently has 1,611 points and 849 rebounds during his two-plus seasons in an Irish uniform.

Last season, Harangody was a second team NCAA Consensus All-American as he averaged 20.4 points per game and 10.6 rebounds a game. In addition, he was named the BIG EAST Player of the Year. Harangody was tabbed as the 2008-09 BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year along with being named to The Associated Press’ preseason All-America squad. He also has been named to the Midseason Top 30 list for the 2009 John R. Wooden Award All-American Team and Player of the Year trophy.

Overall, the ACC has nine players on the Naismith midseason list, followed by the BIG EAST with eight. This season marks the 40th anniversary of the first Naismith Trophy.

For the sixth consecutive season, presenting sponsor AT&T will once again set the standard in allowing fans to participate in determining this year’s winner. Through the power and ease of text messaging, fan voting will account for an unprecedented 25 percent of the final results — more than any other national college basketball award. This year, beginning March 22, AT&T wireless customers — and sports fans on other wireless networks — will be able to text their votes for the player of their choice.

Fans will be eligible to cast their vote for the winner until 9 p.m. EDT on Saturday, April 4, 2009. AT&T is making the voting open to other wireless carriers, allowing even more fans to participate. Other wireless carriers must opt-in for their subscribers to participate.

CBS Sports’ “AT&T at the Half” features a weekly Naismith Trophy Watch, highlighting the men’s players in contention for the coveted award who have distinguished themselves throughout the season. On March 22, CBS will announce the four Naismith Trophy finalists during its first-round coverage of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. For more information, visit www.naismithawards.com.

2009 Naismith Men’s Mid-Season Candidates

Name, Class, Position, School
A.J. Abrams, Sr., Guard, Texas
Jeff Adrien, Sr., Forward, Connecticut
DeJuan Blair, So., Center, Pittsburgh
Trevor, Booker, Jr., Forward/Center, Clemson
Jon Brockman, Sr., Forward, Washington
Nick Calathes, So., Guard/Forward, Florida
Dionte Christmas, Sr., Guard, Temple
Earl Clark, Jr., Guard/Forward, Louisville
Sherron Collins, Jr., Guard, Kansas
Stephen Curry, Jr., Guard, Davidson
Devan Downey, Jr., Guard, South Carolina
Blake Griffin, So., Forward, Oklahoma
Tyler Hansbrough, Sr., Forward, North Carolina
Luke Harangody, Jr., Forward, Notre Dame
James Harden, So., Guard, Arizona State
Gerald Henderson, Sr., Forward, Duke
Robbie Hummel, So., Guard/Forward, Purdue
James Johnson, So., Forward, Wake Forest
Ty Lawson, Jr., Guard, North Carolina
Eric Maynor, Sr., Guard, Virginia Commonwealth
Jack McClinton, Sr., Guard, Miami
Jerel McNeal, Sr., Guard, Marquette
Jodie Meeks, Jr., Guard, Kentucky
Patrick Mills, So., Guard, Saint Mary’s
Tyrese Rice, Sr., Guard, Boston College
Kyle Singler, So., Forward, Duke
Jeff Teague, So., Guard, Wake Forest
Hasheem Thabeet, Jr., Center, Connecticut
Terrence Williams, Sr., Forward, Louisville
Sam Young, Sr., Forward, Pittsburgh