NEW ORLEANS – University of South Alabama’s Augustine Rubit has been selected the 2011 Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year, the league announced Thursday morning.

A redshirt freshman from Houston, Texas, Rubit was also tabbed to the All-SBC third team. The teams are selected by a vote of the league’s head coaches and media.

Rubit is the first South Alabama player to earn the league’s top rookie award since Jeff Hodge in 1986 and the first-ever Jaguar named to an all-conference team as a freshman.

The conference’s top rebounder, Rubit ranks fifth in the nation through Feb. 27 with an 11.1 per-game average, tops among all Division I freshmen. He is currently third in the school’s single-season history with 301 total rebounds.

Rubit also leads all Division I freshmen with 14 double-doubles, which ranks second in the league. He is one of two players in the conference to average a double-double on the season with 13.3 points per outing, 14th-best in the Sun Belt.

He also ranks first in the Sun Belt in offensive rebounds (4.6 rpg), second in defensive rebounds (6.5 rpg), third in field goal percentage (.565) and sixth in blocked shots (1.1).

Arkansas State’s Solomon Bozeman was selected the conference’s player of the year and Florida Atlantic swept the coach of the year (Mike Jarvis) and defensive player of the year (Brett Royster) awards.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com.  Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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First Team All-Sun Belt Conference
Solomon Bozeman (UALR, Senior, G)
Raymond Taylor (Florida Atlantic, Sophomore, G)
Tristan Thompson (North Texas, Senior, G)
Sergio Kerusch (WKU, Senior, F)
Steffphon Pettigrew (WKU, Senior, F)

Second Team All-Sun Belt Conference
Martavius Adams (Arkansas State, Junior, G)
Chase Hallam (Denver, Sophomore, G)
Greg Gantt (Florida Atlantic, Sophomore, G)
J.J. Thomas (Louisiana-Lafayette, Freshman, F)
James Washington (Middle Tennessee, Senior, G)

Third Team All-Sun Belt Conference
Donald Boone (Arkansas State, Senior, G)
Brett Royster (Florida Atlantic, Senior, F)
Travis Bureau (Louisiana-Lafayette, Senior, F)
Augustine Rubit (South Alabama, R-Freshman, C)
Will Weathers (Troy, Sophomore, G)

Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year
Solomon Bozeman (UALR, Senior, G)

Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year
Brett Royster (Florida Atlantic, Senior, F)

Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year
Augustine Rubit (South Alabama, R-Freshman, C)

The Joe Gottfried Coach of the Year
Mike Jarvis, Florida Atlantic