WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - Monmouth University freshman Ed Waite was named the Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week, as announced by league officials on Monday afternoon. Waite, who was inserted into the starting lineup over the weekend, responded with 11.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game for the Hawks.
After compiling eight points and six rebounds off the bench against Lehigh on Monday, Waite earned his first starting assignment on Friday at Wyoming in the opening game of the World Vision Basketball Challenge. The forward finished with 11 points and eight boards, and hit the game-tying jumper with 1:18 to play as Monmouth went on to defeat the host Cowboys, 75-73, on Whitney Coleman's jumper with 3.6 seconds to play.
The following evening, Waite went for 10 points, in a 14-minute stint, as the Hawks suffered a nine-point setback to eventual tournament champion, Pepperdine.
On Sunday, the power forward had his most productive game of the tournament with 17 points, eight rebounds and a pair of steals in a 56-53 loss to Hampton.
On the year, Waite is the leading freshman scorer (11.1 ppg) and rebounder (6.0 rpg) in the NEC.
Monmouth returns to action on Saturday, December 5, when the Hawks open NEC play with a road game at Sacred Heart, at 1:00 p.m.
