Utica, N.Y., native voted to second team by region head coaches

RINDGE, N.H. (March 11, 2003) - Franklin Pierce junior swingman Jimmie Hunt (Utica, N.Y./Mount Ararat (Maine)) was voted to the men's basketball Division II All-Northeast Region second team by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). The announcement was made in advance of the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in Lakeland, Fla.

The NABC All-Northeast selection is the first of Hunt's career and second such honor of the season as he was voted to the Daktronics All-Northeast second team two weeks ago. Hunt's NABC pick is the first for a Franklin Pierce player since Donald Johnson was selected following the 2000-2001 season. Hunt was one of eight Northeast-10 Conference players to be selected to the first and second teams.

Hunt, who also earned second team All-Northeast-10 honors this season, led the Ravens down the stretch as their top scorer in the final eight games and in 12 of their last 13 overall. Franklin Pierce was 8-4 in those 12 contests and Hunt averaged 22.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and two assists during that stretch, while shooting 58.4-percent (90-154) from the field, including 52.5% (32-61) from three-point range and 84.1% (53-63) from the free-throw line.

Hunt set three school free-throw shooting records this season, connecting on 84.5% (125-148) for the season (ranking third among NE-10 leaders) to surpass the previous record of 83.6% (127-152) set by Jason Miglionico during the 1991-92 season. Hunt set two records during a career-high 35-point outing in a Ravens win over Bryant College on February 15 as he drained 17-of-17 attempts at the stripe. He surpassed teammate V.J. Kwity's (Torrance, Calif./West) perfect free-throw shooting performances of 10-10 (at UMass Lowell, 12/5/01) and 9-9 (vs. UC Santa Cruz, 12/27/00). The 17 free throws made surpassed the previous record of 14 set by George "Boo" Hall on March 1, 1988, against Saint Joseph's College (Maine).

Hunt was Franklin Pierce's top scorer this season, averaging 18.7 points (5th NE-10) to go with 5.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. His 2.1 three-point field goals per game were also tops on the team and ranked sixth in the NE-10. Hunt finished the season shooting 47.5% (178-375) from the field.

Hunt became the 25th member of the program's 1,000-point club during the Ravens Northeast-10 Conference quarterfinal game at UMass Lowell. He returns for his senior season next winter with 1,003 points and 309 rebounds in 73 career games.

Franklin Pierce wrapped up the season with a 14-15 record overall, 11-11 in Conference play for a ninth-place finish. The Ravens registered a 74-70 victory over Bryant in the first round of the NE-10 Tournament before falling to top-seeded and No. 9-ranked UMass Lowell in the quarterfinals.