BOSTON — Little Rock junior forward Ruot Monyyong has been named a 2020 Lefty Driesell Defensive All-American, announced by CollegeInsider.com.
Monyyong becomes the second Trojan to earn All-America honors in the past week, joining teammate Markquis Nowell, who was tabbed a Lou Henson All-American on March 26.
With the All-America honors for Monyyong, he becomes the 10th All-American in program history, joining Larry Drake (1973), Vaughn Williams (1982), Jimmy Lampley (1982), Donald Newman (1984), Michael Clarke (1985), Derek Fisher (1996), Muntrelle Dobbins (1997), Solomon Bozeman (2011) and Nowell.
Monyyong made an immediate impact for the Trojans, being named the Sun Belt Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year as well as the league’s Newcomer of the Year. A first team All-Sun Belt Conference selection, Monyyong was also tabbed an NABC first team All-District honoree, earning a reputation as one of the nation’s top defensive players.
Monyyong was a key factor for the Little Rock turnaround as he was the Sun Belt Conference leader in rebounds (9.8), defensive rebounds (7.6), blocks (2.0) and double-doubles (16), holding comfortable margins on the next closest player in each category. Nationally, he ranked among the top-40 in six different statistical categories, including 15th in defensive rebounds per game (7.61) and 17th in the NCAA in double-doubles.
The Nashville, Tennessee native has already started to place his name in the Little Rock record books as his 62 blocks on the year is the most for the Trojans during the Division I era and third all-time in program history. He lead the team with 24 games scoring in double figures and pulled down double digit rebounding totals 17 times in 2019-20.
Monyyong was one of 25 players nationally named a Defensive All-American and the lone player from the Sun Belt Conference.
The Lefty Driesell Defensive All-America team is named after the Hall of Fame coach who won 786 games over 41 years at Davidson, Maryland, James Madison and Georgia State. He ranks eighth on the NCAA career Division I coaches victories list while he is one of just three coaches to reach the NCAA tournament with four different teams as his teams were known for playing tenacious defense.
2020 Lefty Driesell Defensive All-America Team
Tyler Bey – Colorado
Mamadi Diakite – Virginia
Malachi Flynn – San Diego State
Trent Forrest – Florida State
Javon Freeman-Liberty – Valparaiso
Marcus Garrett – Kansas
Romaro Gill – Seton Hall
Jacob Gilyard – Richmond
Ashton Hagans – Kentucky
Juvaris Hayes – Merrimack
Tre Jones – Duke
Davonta Jordan – Buffalo
Nathan Knight – William & Mary
Jason Levi – UT Rio Grande Valley
Isaiah Miller – UNC Greensboro
Davion Mitchell – Baylor
Ruot Monyyong – Little Rock
Osasumwen Osaghae – Florida International
Daniel Oturu – Minnesota
Jonah Radebaugh – Northern Colorado
Zavier Simpson – Michigan
Jalen Tate – Northern Kentucky
Aaron Thompson Jr. – Butler
Jahlil Tripp – Pacific
Mark Vital – Baylor