March 2, 2009

EASTON, Pa. - One week after being recognized as Rookie of the Week, freshman forward Ryan Willen was named to the All-Patriot League Rookie team on Monday. The Biology major becomes the first freshman since senior Andrew Brown and the seventh freshman in school history to earn the accolade.

In addition to his work on the court, Willen is enrolled in biology, chemistry, writing classes as well as a theories in religion course this semester. Taking advantage of Lafayette's proximity advantage to New York City, he enjoyed his first Broadway show during the fall semester with his freshman year seminar class.

Willen has made an immediate impact in his first season as a Leopard. In just the second game of the year, the Cape Girardeau, Mo., native recorded the first of three double-doubles, which ranks as third-most in the league. He is also the first Lafayette freshman since 1995-96 (Stefan Ciosici '00) to record more than one double-double in his rookie year. Willen received his first starting nod in the conference season opener at Holy Cross on Jan. 10 and has not been left out of the lineup since.

He has consistently led the Leopards in rebounding this season with 4.9 boards per game and is the first freshman since the 1995-96 season to lead the team in rebounding.

He nabbed the school's first weekly accolade of the season on Feb. 23 following one of his best performances of his short career. As part of a career-high 20-point performance on Feb. 18, his last-second free throws stopped Bucknell from overcoming a 16-point second-half deficit and secured Lafayette's seventh win of the season. His production was his eighth-straight game of scoring in double figures.

The Leopards travel to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday for a Patriot League Tournament Quarterfinal matchup against top seed American at 7:30 p.m.