March 28, 2007

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- On March 26, Providence College student-athletes Herbert Hill (Kinston, N.C.) and Chelsea Marandola (Johnston, R.I.) were honored at the annual Cox Sports Television Rhode Island Basketball Media Awards Luncheon at the Radisson Airport Hotel in Warwick, R.I. Hill was named Division I Men's Player of the Year, while Marandola was tabbed the Division I Women's Player of the Year.

Hill became the third Friar to earn the award as Ryan Gomes (2004 and 2005) and Donnie McGrath (2006) each earned the honor. Hill, who also has been named BIG EAST Most Improved Player, First Team All-BIG EAST, USBWA All-District 1 and First Team NABC All-District 1 this season, had an impressive year for the Friars.

In overall action this season, he averaged 18.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. He also registered the third best single season field percentage (64.0 percent) in the history of Friar basketball. 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 second in rebounding (9.8 rpg), third in field goal percentage (.592) and third in blocked shots (3.25 bpg). Hill recorded 14 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 12 times this season. Hill helped the Friars post an 18-13 mark this season. In league play, Providence finished 10th of 16 teams with an 8-8 record. The Friars advanced to the NIT where they were defeated by Bradley, 90-78, in overtime on March 14.

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

Marandola, a sophomore guard, led the Friars in scoring (17.3 ppg), rebounding (7.1 rpg) and steals (1.7 spg) in 2006-07, while also dishing out 1.9 assists per game. In addition, Marandola also led her team in field-goal percentage (0.496, 177-357), three-point field-goal percentage (0.411, 44-107) and free-throw percentage (0.906, 87-96). Her free-throw percentage marks a new school record for a single-season, eclipsing the previous mark set by Kristin Quinn (0.902, 45-61) during the 2002-03 campaign. Marandola also led the BIG EAST Conference in free-throw percentage. She reached double figures in scoring in 27 of the 28 games she played in 2006-07, including 20-straight games to start the season. Marandola also recorded a team-best, and single-season career high of eight double-doubles. She also eclipsed the 20-point plateau in 11 games, including a career-high 29 points vs. in-state rival Rhode Island. Marandola was named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team, becoming the first Friar to earn All-BIG EAST First, Second or Third Team honors since the 1995-96 season when Nadine Malcolm earned Second-Team accolades.

- FRIARS -