FERRUM, Va. -- Ferrum College freshman Derek Mitchell has been named the 2008 D3hoops.com Men's Basketball South Region Rookie of the Year.
2008 D3hoops All-South Region Team
Mitchell was also the USA South Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year in 2008as well as a second team All-Conference selection. He finished 14th in the league in scoring with 12.6 points per game, and second in rebounding with 10.7 per game.
Mitchell was one of only two players in the USA South to averaged a double-double this season, joining Shenandoah University's Jeremiah Lawrence, who averaged 21 points and 11.2 rebounds per game.
Mitchell had 15 double-double performances in 26 games this season. He had career-highs of 21 points and 21 rebounds in a 71-64 loss to CNU Feb. 16 on the road.
Mitchell helped the Panthers win a share of the USA South regular season title this year. It was Ferrum's first conference title in men's basketball since the 1994-95 season, and the fourth overall.
Ferrum closed out the 2007-08 season at 14-12 overall and 8-4 in the USA South under third-year Head Coach Bill Tharp, who was named the league's Coach of the Year. Tharp's team was picked to finish last in this year's preseason coaches' poll. It was Ferrum's first winning season in 10 years.