Feb. 28, 2002

EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - Lafayette senior Brian Burke (Philadelphia, Pa./Germantown Academy) has been named to the All-Patriot League First Team and freshman Kenny Grant (Long Beach, N.Y./St. Mary's) has earned the vote of the conference coaches and landed a spot on the All-Rookie Team.

Burke has relished his role as the team's go-to guy in 2001-02. The 6-5 guard is averaging 15.4 points and 4.5 assists per game for the Leopards who finished in third place in the Patriot League regular-season after being picked to finish seventh in the preseason poll.

A co-captain, Burke will leave Lafayette as the all-time free throw percentage leader. His charity stripe contributions stand at 87.8 percent over four years. Burke also owns the Patriot League and Lafayette record for consecutive free throws with 49.

Singled out by most conference coaches as the best passer in the Patriot League, Burke has 301 career assists, ranking seventh all-time at Lafayette and 14th in the Patriot League. He also ranks sixth at Lafayette for career three-pointers with 125.

This season Burke has scored in double figures in 23 games, including an explosive 43-point effort on Feb. 20 versus archrival Lehigh. In that game, Burke went 16-for-22 from the field, 7-of-11 from long distance and 4-for-4 from the foul line. He tied a Kirby Sports Center record for points in a game by any player and established a new mark for most points ever by a Lafayette player in Kirby Sports Center, topping Todd Tripucka's 42 points versus St. Joseph's on Dec. 3, 1975.

Burke earned Patriot League Player of the Week laurels on Jan. 28, the second such award of his career. He averaged nearly 20 points and six assists per game while going a perfect 19-for-19 from the foul line. He began the week with a 13-point, four-assist effort against Penn (Jan. 21). At Navy (Jan. 23), Burke scored 18 points and dished off a career-high 11 assists in a 92-79 win and was entirely or partially responsible for 43 points in the game. Against Colgate on Jan. 26, Burke scored a then career-high 28 points, including 11-for-11 from the line.

"Brian Burke's career accomplishments really speak for themselves," said Lafayette Head Coach Fran O'Hanlon. "He has really been a catalyst for our offense and an overall team leader this season."

Perhaps Burke's greatest career accomplishment came off the court in 2000-01. He was selected as a recipient of the Eastern College Athletic Conference Award of Valor, awarded annually to student-athletes whose courage, motivation and relentless determination serve as an inspiration to all. The recipients of the Award of Valor exemplify strength of character, perseverance, and most importantly, accomplishment deserving recognition as being truly triumphant.

Burke led the team in assists and finished third on the team in scoring in 2000-01 despite missing 13 games after suffering a punctured lung at Fordham on Dec. 11. Burke was playing the best game of his career, having scored a then career-high 24 points, including five three-pointers. With five minutes left in the game, Burke's night came to an end as he was removed from the arena on a stretcher after complaining of chest pain and shortness of breath.

Burke suffered severe internal bleeding and was later diagnosed with a punctured lung, losing one third of his blood supply. After an initial 10-day hospital stay, Burke suffered another setback as he was preparing to return home. On Dec. 21 when the doctors removed the chest tubes, Burke's lung collapsed and prolonged his hospital stay. Burke returned to classes in late January. The coaches and doctors planned on Burke missing the remainder of the season and concerns arose that he may never play competitive basketball again. On February 11, exactly two months after a punctured lung left his career and health in jeopardy, Burke returned to the court to score a game-high 23 points in an 87-78 win over Navy. Burke went on to play in Lafayette's six remaining games. He was presented with the award two weeks before the start of the 2001-02 season.

Grant earned one of five spots on the Patriot League All-Rookie Team. He has started 10 games for the Leopards this season and has played in 25 games, breaking into an experienced Lafayette backcourt from the opening day of practice. He didn't waste much time making an impact for the Leopards when it came to game action. Grant scored eight points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out four assists in the Leopards' season-opening win over Albany.

Grant is shooting 75 percent from the line for the season and is averaging 2.3 points and 1.6 assists per game for Lafayette in O'Hanlon's multiple-guard rotation.

"Kenny Grant has started a number of games for us this season and has already made significant contributions," O'Hanlon said. "He has a really bright future with our program."

American University center Patrick Doctor took home Player of the Year honors. Army coach Pat Harris was picked as Coach of the Year. Holy Cross freshman Nate Lufkin was named Rookie of the Year in the voting process that is limited to league coaches.

All-League First Team

Player of the Year: Patrick Doctor, American
Rookie of the Year: Nate Lufkin, Holy Cross
Coach of the Year: Pat Harris, Army