Colin Ducharme Named 2001 Verizon/NABC
Division II Men's Basketball Player of the Year

Longwood College men's basketball standout Colin Ducharme was named the 2001 Verizon/NABC NCAA Division II National Player of the Year. The consensus 1st-team All-America selection was chosen player of the year by select Division II member coaches of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). Ducharme was honored in Minneapolis, Minn. during the Division I Final Four March 31 ­ April 2 where he received his award during the Verizon/NABC College Basketball Awards Show April 1.

Ducharme was recognized alongside of the Division I player of the year, Duke's Jason Williams; the Division I coach of the year, Michigan State's Tom Izzo; the Division I defensive player of the year, Duke's Shane Battier; and the Pete Newell Award winner, Stanford's Jason Collins. He previously was named the DAKTRONICS/CoSIDA and Division II Bulletin magazine National Player of the Year, and has been named 1st-Team All-America by the NABC, DAKTRONICS/ CoSIDA, Division II Bulletin, and Basketball Times magazines.

Ducharme was also named the 2000-01 Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference (CVAC) Male Athlete of the Year as voted by the conference athletic directors. This prestigious award is presented annually in recognition of outstanding athletic contributions and achievements. He was also named the Longwood College Male Athlete of the Year for 2000-01.

Ducharme (6-9, 250) posted a double-double average of 19.6 points and a national-best 15.8 rebounds this past season for Longwood, adding 4.2 blocks (2nd nationally) and 3.2 assists while shooting 60% from the field and 79% at the free throw line. He led the Lancers to a 23-8 record, the school's first CVAC Tournament Championship, and into the East Regional semifinals while establishing 10 new school records.

Ducharme was named one of the Top 10 players in the Blu Summer League June 28 ­ July 1, a premier European showcase event for professional and aspiring professional players. He was also named the BSL's Best Rebounder among the 96 players participating in Treviso, Italy. Ducharme played four games in Italy and averaged his usual double-double of 12.8 points (51) and 13.0 rebounds (52), including single-game highs of 19 points and 18 rebounds in separate contests. After a slow start in game one (11 rebounds and 4 points), he bounced back to average 15.7 points and 13.7 rebounds during his final three games.

Ducharme had the only two triple-doubles in Longwood history this past season: 20 points, 21 rebounds, and 11 blocked shots at Belmont Abbey; and 24 points, 18 rebounds, and 10 assists vs. West Chester in the regionals. His 2000-01 season and career-best included 33 points, 22 rebounds (three times), 11 blocked shots, and 10 assists. Ducharme was also the only Division II player invited to the 49th Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (PIT) where he helped his team to the PIT Championship. He finished the PIT with solid three-game totals of 18 points (6.0 ppg.), 22 rebounds (7.3 rpg.), 4 blocks, 2 assists, and 1 steal.

Colin is the son of Robert and Carol Ducharme of Richmond. He graduated from the University of Virginia in May 2000 with an honors degree in physics and has been doing graduate work at Longwood in environmental science. Ducharme will likely play in the Italian League's top division (A1) next season.