Pitt Freshman Male Athlete of the Year

Freshman jitters? Not for Chris Taft.

The six-foot, 10-inch, 250-pound Brooklyn, N.Y.,… Freshman jitters? Not for Chris Taft.

The six-foot, 10-inch, 250-pound Brooklyn, N.Y., native made a smooth transition to college life, averaging 10.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game for the Pitt men’s basketball team en route to being honored as the 2003-2004 Big East Rookie of the Year.

As a result of his on-the-court achievements, as well as his immediate impact on the regular season Big East Champion Pitt basketball team, The Pitt News sports staff honors Taft as the Freshman Male Athlete of the Year.

The Panthers came into this season having to replace Ontario Lett at the five spot. This was not an easy task, considering Lett’s ability to create space on the floor, as well as his passing chemistry with forward Chevon Troutman.

Taft came off of the bench for 12 of the Panthers early contests, averaging 9.6 points-per-game and 7.3 rebounds per game as a reserve. But his tenacity on the boards and ability to create match-up problems earned him the starting job for the Panthers by the time they opened their Big East schedule against Virginia Tech.

Taft shone as the Panthers’ number one center, and his numbers speak for themselves.

His 60 blocked shots already put him among Pitt’s career leaders in that category. His career-high 24 points against Providence helped Pitt avoid its first losing streak in two years and propelled the Panthers to their most productive offensive outing of the year. He led the Panthers in rebounding this season, and his six double-doubles were also a team high.

With his impressive offensive production and constant improvement came natural accolades for Taft. His six selections as Big East Rookie of the Week are a school record.

He was a unanimous selection for the Big East All-Rookie Team, and he was a candidate for the National Freshman of the Year award. His selection to the All-Big East Third Team made him the only Big East freshman this season to earn an all-conference honor.

Most importantly, Taft proved durable as a young player. He played in all 36 games for the Panthers this year, and he improved as the season progressed. His 16 rebounds against University of Central Florida in the first round of the NCAA Tournament were a career high, and they helped Pitt to a close victory in a game in which rebounding proved the difference.

Taft still has a lot of basketball left to play at Pitt. And as long as he puts on the Panthers jersey, Pitt will not have to worry about replacing a starter at the five spot again for a long time.