March 12, 2002

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Providence College senior guard John Linehan (Chester, Pa.) was named College Insider.com Defensive Player of the Year on March 9. For Linehan, it marks the second consecutive season that he has been named National Defensive Player of the Year by College Insider.com. It also marks the third Defensive Player of the Year honor for Linehan this season. He was named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year on March 5 and ESPN.com Defensive Player of the Year on March 7.

Linehan, who is second in the nation in average steals per game (4.5), made 139 steals in 31 contests this season. He set the NCAA career steals record with his 377th steal on February 26. Linehan finished his career with 385 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). This season, he averaged 12.5 points, 4.4 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game.

This season, he also was named All-BIG EAST Second Team, NABC District 1 First Team, USBWA All-District 1, and College Insider.com 2002 All-Defensive Team member.

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