March 4, 2002

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- It was announced on Monday, March 4 that Providence College senior guard John Linehan (Chester, Pa.) was named All-BIG EAST Second Team and freshman forward Ryan Gomes (Waterbury, Conn.) was a unanimous selection for the BIG EAST All-Rookie Team.

Linehan, who is second in the nation in average steals per game (4.5), has made 134 steals in 30 contests this season. He set the NCAA career steals record last week with his 377th steal. Linehan finished the regular season with 380 career steals. In addition to the NCAA career steals mark, Linehan also established the BIG EAST career steals record (226), the BIG EAST single-season steals record (77) and the BIG EAST single-game steals record (11). Linehan earned All-BIG EAST Second Team honors last season and he joins Jamel Thomas, Austin Croshere, Michael Smith, Eric Murdock and Billy Donovan as Friars that have received multiple All-BIG EAST accolades. He is averaging 12.5 points, 4.4 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game this season

Gomes becomes the sixth Friar and first since God Shammgod (1996) to be selected to the BIG EAST All-Rookie Team. Gomes was one of three individuals to earn a unanimous selection to the team. A two-time BIG EAST Rookie of the Week, Gomes is averaging 13.6 points and 8.0 rebounds per game this season. He set a Providence rookie record for points in a game when he scored 31 against Miami on January 19. In overall action, Gomes ranks second in the league in field goal percentage (.561) and eighth in rebounding (8.0).

The Friars, 15-15, return to action in the First Round of the BIG EAST Tournament on Wednesday, March 6 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Providence, a No. 6 seed in the East, will face Georgetown, a No. 3 seed in the West, at 2:00 p.m. on ESPN.

2001-02 All-BIG EAST First Team
Troy Bell, Boston College, Jr., 6-1, 171, Minneapolis, Minn.
*Caron Butler, Connecticut, So., 6-7, 235, Racine, Wisc.
Mike Sweetney, Georgetown, So., 6-8, 260, Oxon Hill, Md.
Ryan Humphrey, Notre Dame, Sr., 6-8, 233, Tulsa, Okla.
Brandin Knight, Pittsburgh, Jr., 6-0, 175, East Orange, N.J.
Marcus Hatten, St. John's, Jr., 6-3, 225, Baltimore, Md.
Preston Shumpert, Syracuse, Sr., 6-6, 198, Ft. Walton Beach, Fla.


2001-02 All-BIG EAST Second Team
Darius Rice, Miami, So., 6-10, 205, Jackson, Miss.
John Salmons, Miami, Sr., 6-7, 200, Philadelphia, Pa.
John Linehan, Providence, Sr., 5-9, 165, Chester, Pa.
Rashod Kent, Rutgers, Sr., 6-6, 265, Fairmont, W.Va.
Ricky Wright, Villanova, Jr., 6-7, 215, East Chicago, Ind.


2001-02 All-BIG EAST Third Team
Emeka Okafor, Connecticut, Fr., 6-9, 240, Bellaire, Texas
Kevin Braswell, Georgetown, Sr., 6-2, 190, Baltimore, Md.
James Jones, Miami, Jr., 6-8, 211, Miami, Fla.
Chris Thomas, Notre Dame, Fr., 6-1, 165, Indianapolis, Ind.
DeShaun Williams, Syracuse, Jr., 6-3, 202, Paterson, N.J.
Chris Moss, West Virginia, Sr., 6-8, 225, Chesterfield, Va.


2001-02 All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention
David Graves, Notre Dame, Sr., 6-6, 208, Lexington, Ky.
Jaron Brown, Pittsburgh, So., 6-4, 225, Lexington, Ky.
Julius Page, Pittsburgh, So., 6-3, 180, Buffalo, N.Y.
Jerome Coleman, Rutgers, Jr., 6-2, 190, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Gary Buchanan, Villanova, Jr., 6-3, 205, St. Louis, Mo.


2001-02 BIG EAST All-Rookie Team
Ben Gordon, Connecticut, Fr., 6-2, 185, Mount Vernon, N.Y.
*Emeka Okafor, Connecticut, Fr., 6-9, 240, Bellaire, Texas
*Chris Thomas, Notre Dame, Fr., 6-1, 165, Indianapolis, Ind.
*Ryan Gomes, Providence, Fr., 6-7, 235, Waterbury, Conn.
John Allen, Seton Hall, Fr., 6-5, 197, Coatesville, Pa.
*denotes unanimous selection