It’s tough for Georgetown to celebrate, but a little more than an hour after the Hoyas fell to St. John’s, freshman center Greg Monroe has been named the Big East’s Rookie of the Year award.

Monroe was one the nation’s most highly regarded recruits coming out of Helen Cox high school in New Orleans, and he lived up to the hype. The 6’11″ big man averaged 12.7 points per game, and led the Hoyas in rebounding with 6.6 rebounds per game. He was able to dominate at both ends of the floor, facilitating the offense with his vaunted passing ability and denying opponents with countless blocks and steals.

Monroe now joins what Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese called a “who’s who of greatness.” The freshman was unquestionably proud of his award, but he was emphatic when he said this does not take the sting out of today’s loss. He was optimistic about improving for next year, and it was clear he was talking about next year at Georgetown. The return of their center may be the one silver lining the Hoyas can find today.

The other awards Tranghese handed out:

• West Virginia’s Alex Ruoff was named Scholar-Athlete of the Year
• Villanova’s Jay Wright received Coach of the Year honors
• Pitt’s DeJuan Blair and UConn’s Hasheem Thabeet shared the Player of the Year award