Watch Postseason Awards Press Conference

March 6, 2007

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Providence College senior forward/center Herbert Hill (Kinston, N.C.) was named the 2007 BIG EAST Men's Basketball Most Improved Player. Hill received his award on Tuesday, March 6 from the league's commissioner, Mike Tranghese, at the Conference's award ceremony at the Grand Hyatt in New York. He is the first Friar ever to receive the honor.

Hill, who also has been named First Team All-BIG EAST, USBWA All-District 1 and First Team NABC All-District 1 this season, has had an impressive year for the Friars.

In overall action this season, he is averaging 18.0 ppg and 8.6 rebounds. He also is shooting 64 percent from the field and averaging 3.0 blocks per game. In league action, he finished the regular season as the BIG EAST scoring champion (19.9 ppg). Hill is just the third Friar ever to accomplish that feat. After 16 BIG EAST games, he finished ranked second in rebounding (9.8 rpg), third in field goal percentage (.592) and third in blocked shots (3.25 bpg). Hill has recorded 11 double-doubles this season, including a 20-point, 20-rebound effort in a win over George Washington on November 26. He became the first Friar to post a 20-20 game since Marvin Barnes accomplished the feat in 1974. On February 24, Hill recorded a career-high 29 points and registered 15 rebounds against Syracuse. He also has registered 20 or more points 11 times this season. On Sunday, he earned his second BIG EAST Player of the Week honor this season. He also has earned BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll accolades four times this season. He ranks fourth all-time at Providence College with 184 blocks.

Hill's statistics this season are a dramatic improvement over his 2005-06 totals. Last season, he averaged 9.0 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per contest. Hill entered the 2006-07 season, averaging 5.9 points per game and 3.5 rebounds through his first three seasons at Providence. Hill has helped the Friars post an 18-11 mark this season. In league play, Providence finished 10th of 16 teams with an 8-8 record. The Friars will return to action on Wednesday, March 7 at 7:00 p.m. versus West Virginia in the First Round of the BIG EAST Tournament at Madison Square Garden. The game will be televised on ESPN.

Hill, a 2003 graduate of Kinston High School, is the son of Iris Brown and Herbert Hill, Jr.