Men's Basketball

BENNINGTON, Vt. - Southern Vermont College basketball standout Nick Harrington has been named the state's male athlete of the month for February by the Vermont Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.  It was the first time any athlete from Southern Vermont College has been given the honor

The 12 sets of monthly winners each year are honored -- along with the state's other top sports award recipients -- at the annual Vermont Athlete of the Year Banquet hosted by the 100-member statewide association and Norwich University in June.

Harrington, the nation's leading college rebounder for the second consecutive year, continued to show in February why he is one of top Division III players in the country as the points, rebounds and honors continued to pile up.  Besides being the top rebounder in the country (15.5 rpg this year), Harrington finished third in the nation in scoring (27.2 ppg.).  During February the 6-foot-7 senior forward averaged 29.3 points, 18.2 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.2 blocks per game, while hitting 64.4 percent from the floor during six games for the Mountaineers.  Harrington's best shooting during the month was 84.2 percent (16-for-19) in one game, while his "worst" game in February was 50 percent (7-for-14).  Harrington also won the Association of Division III Player of the Week three times in February.  He also was named ECAC Player of the Week three times in February competing against all Divisional schools in the Northeast.  Harrington ended the month by being notified that he would be one of those few college basketball players ever honored by being featured in Sports Illustrated's  "Faces in the Crowd." (It was primarily for his 37 points and 33 rebounds in a game in January, only the second D-III player in the nation to have a 30-30 game, but also noted he was a two-time national leader in rebounding.)   The Business Administration major from Brooklyn, N.Y. finished his career as the all-time leading rebounder (1,026) and second in scoring (1,528) at the Bennington college.

Harrington won the VSSA honor by edging basketball players Jeff Danyew of Windsor High, Matt Joslin of North Country Union; Tyler Kathan of Ludlow and Keene State College, Brian Monahan of St. Michael's College, hockey players Trey Kiendl of Harwood Union and Ben Pearl of Essex High, and wrestler Michael Baril of Spaulding High.

Harrington will join the other male monthly winners: Casey Harman of South Burlington High baseball (May); David Kennedy of Lamoille Union High track (June); Trevor Murphy of St. Johnsbury Country Club (July); Dr. Edgar Holmes of Mendon for masters track and field (August); Trevor Varney of Windsor High football (September), Tucker LaClair of U-32 High football (October); Taylor DeVarney of South Burlington High football (November), D.J. Campbell, Winooski high basketball (December); Logan Calkins of Danville basketball (January)..

VSSA President Tom Haley of the Rutland Herald said the winners are selected through statewide balloting after association members submit detailed written nominations about individual performances in the previous month.  All full-time and part-time sportswriters and sportscasters, including play-by-play announcers and analysts covering Vermont, are eligible for VSSA membership.

More information about the VSSA is available by calling (802) 654-2442.