List of NCAA Division I men's basketball season blocks leaders
Encyclopedia
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Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, a block
Block (basketball)
In basketball, a block , not to be confused with blocking, occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot...
(short for blocked shot) occurs when a defender deflects or stops a field goal
Field goal (basketball)
In basketball, the term field goal refers to a basket scored on any shot or tap other than a free throw, worth two or three points depending on the distance of the attempt from the basket. "Field Goal" is the official terminology used by the National Basketball Association in their rule book,...
attempt without committing a foul. The National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
's (NCAA) Division I block title is awarded to the player with the highest blocks per game average in a given season. The block title was first recognized in the 1985–86 season when statistics on blocks were first compiled by the NCAA.
David Robinson
David Robinson (basketball)
David Maurice Robinson is a retired American NBA basketball player, who played center for the San Antonio Spurs for his entire NBA career. Based on his prior service as an officer in the United States Navy, Robinson earned the nickname "The Admiral". He and teammate power forward Tim Duncan were...
of Navy
Navy Midshipmen men's basketball
The Navy Midshipmen men's basketball team represents the United States Naval Academy, in Annapolis, Maryland, in NCAA Division I college basketball...
holds the all-time NCAA Division I record single-season blocks record (207) which was set during 1985–86, coincidentally the first season that the NCAA kept track of blocked shots. Although Robinson holds the single-season record, it is Jarvis Varnado
Jarvis Varnado
Jarvis Varnado is an American basketball player for Hapoel Jerusalem B.C. of the Israeli Basketball Super League. Varnado was selected by the Miami Heat in the 2010 NBA Draft....
of Mississippi State
Mississippi State Bulldogs men's basketball
The Mississippi State Bulldogs basketball program represents Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS in men's NCAA Division I basketball. The Bulldogs play in the Southeastern Conference and are currently coached by Rick Stansbury. As of the 2010 season the Bulldogs are 1272-1056...
who claims the all-time career blocked shots record (564). The highest single-season blocks per game (bpg) record is held by Northeastern's Shawn James
Shawn James
Shawn James is an American professional basketball player. He is currently with Maccabi Tel Aviv, for whom he plays the center and forward positions.-Basketball career:...
, who averaged 6.53 blocks in 2005–06
2005–06 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 2005–06 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 6, 2005, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 3, 2006 at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana...
.
Four players have been two–time NCAA blocks leaders: David Robinson (1986, 1987), Keith Closs
Keith Closs
Keith Mitchell Closs, Jr. is an American professional basketball player, at the center position.-Basketball career:Closs, at 7-feet, 3-inches and 212 lbs...
(1995, 1996), Tarvis Williams
Tarvis Williams
Tarvis Devar Williams is an American professional basketball player for BC Prievidza in Slovakia. He is best known, however, for making the game-winning shot with 6.9 seconds left that propelled 15th-seeded Hampton past 2nd-seeded Iowa State, 58–57, in the first round of the 2001 NCAA...
(1999, 2001) and Jarvis Varnado (2008, 2009). Additionally, just four freshmen
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
have led Division I in blocks: Alonzo Mourning
Alonzo Mourning
Alonzo Harding Mourning, Jr. is a former American professional basketball player, who played most of his 15-year NBA career for the Miami Heat....
(1989), Shawn Bradley
Shawn Bradley
Shawn Paul Bradley is a retired American and German basketball player who played center for the Philadelphia 76ers, the New Jersey Nets and the Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association. At tall, Bradley was one of the tallest players in NBA history...
(1991), Keith Closs (1995) and Hassan Whiteside
Hassan Whiteside
Hassan Niam Whiteside is an American basketball power forward and center for the Sacramento Kings. He was drafted 33rd to the Kings in the 2010 NBA Draft. He played college basketball for the Marshall Thundering Herd.-Early life:Whiteside played middle school basketball in Gastonia, NC...
(2010). Among all-time NCAA blocks leaders, only Robinson is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, which he was inducted into in 2009. Through 2011, no school has had more than one individual player be the blocks leader; although some schools have had repeat winners, none have had two different players achieve the feat.
Keith Closs
Keith Closs
Keith Mitchell Closs, Jr. is an American professional basketball player, at the center position.-Basketball career:Closs, at 7-feet, 3-inches and 212 lbs...
, the blocks leader in 1995 and 1996, only played college basketball for two seasons. He left the NCAA after only two years to pursue a career in professional basketball, thereby foregoing his final two seasons of eligibility under NCAA by-laws. Had he decided to stay at Central Connecticut State
Central Connecticut State Blue Devils men's basketball
The Central Connecticut Blue Devils Men's Basketball team is the basketball team that represent Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Connecticut. The school's team currently competes in the Northeast Conference and are currently coached by Howie Dickenman...
, Closs could have potentially become the first player to lead Division I in blocks for not only three years, but possibly all four. The 2010 winner, Hassan Whiteside
Hassan Whiteside
Hassan Niam Whiteside is an American basketball power forward and center for the Sacramento Kings. He was drafted 33rd to the Kings in the 2010 NBA Draft. He played college basketball for the Marshall Thundering Herd.-Early life:Whiteside played middle school basketball in Gastonia, NC...
of Marshall
Marshall Thundering Herd men's basketball
The Marshall Thundering Herd men's basketball team is a basketball team from Marshall University in Huntington, West VirginiaNew head coach Tom Herrion will lead the Thundering Herd starting the 2010 season....
, was also a freshman who left early for the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA) Draft.
Not surprisingly, no guards have been the NCAA blocks leaders. Guards are typically shorter players who dribble the basketball up the court and stay farther away from the immediate area around the basket, especially on defense. It is much more difficult for them to block shots. Conversely, it is more difficult for centers
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
and forwards to lead the NCAA in steals but is much easier for guards to do so.
Four players on this list were born outside the United States—Shawn Bradley
Shawn Bradley
Shawn Paul Bradley is a retired American and German basketball player who played center for the Philadelphia 76ers, the New Jersey Nets and the Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association. At tall, Bradley was one of the tallest players in NBA history...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
at the time of his birth), Adonal Foyle
Adonal Foyle
Adonal David Foyle is a retired Vincentian-American former professional basketball center. He was selected by the Golden State Warriors with the eighth overall selection of the 1997 NBA Draft. He played ten seasons with the team until the team bought out his contract on August 13, 2007. At the...
in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an island country in the Lesser Antilles chain, namely in the southern portion of the Windward Islands, which lie at the southern end of the eastern border of the Caribbean Sea where the latter meets the Atlantic Ocean....
, Wojciech Myrda
Wojciech Myrda
Wojciech "Big Vo" Myrda is a retired Polish professional basketball player. At tall, he played the center position. He was born in Poland but graduated from high school in the United States...
in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, and Deng Gai
Deng Gai
Deng Gai is a South Sudanese professional basketball player, formerly in the NBA. He plays as a power forward. Gai was the 2005 NCAA Division I men's basketball season blocks leader.-College basketball:...
in Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
.
Key
| Pos. | G | F | C | BPG | Ref. |
| Position Basketball position The three basketball positions normally employed by organized basketball teams are guard, forward, and center. More specifically, they can be classified into the five positions: point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, and center. The rules of basketball do not mandate them, and... |
Guard | Forward | Center | Blocks per game Block (basketball) In basketball, a block , not to be confused with blocking, occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot... |
References |
| Class (Cl.) key | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fr | Freshman Freshman A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a... |
So | Sophomore Sophomore Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a... |
Jr | Junior Junior (education) "Junior" is a term used in the United States to describe a student in their 3rd year of study . A Junior is considered an upperclassman... |
Sr | Senior Senior (education) Senior is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the 4th year of study .-High school:... |
| ^ | Player still competing in NCAA Division I |
| * | Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |
| Player (X) | Denotes the number of times the player had been the blocks leader up to and including that season |
Blocks leaders
| Season | Player | Pos. | Cl. | Team | Games played |
Blocks Block (basketball) In basketball, a block , not to be confused with blocking, occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot... |
BPG | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985–86 | * | C | Navy Navy Midshipmen men's basketball The Navy Midshipmen men's basketball team represents the United States Naval Academy, in Annapolis, Maryland, in NCAA Division I college basketball... |
35 | 207 | 5.91 | ||
| 1986–87 | * (2) | C | Navy Navy Midshipmen men's basketball The Navy Midshipmen men's basketball team represents the United States Naval Academy, in Annapolis, Maryland, in NCAA Division I college basketball... |
32 | 144 | 4.50 | ||
| 1987–88 | C | Saint Joseph's Saint Joseph's Hawks men's basketball The Saint Joseph's Hawks men's basketball team represents Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Its home court is the Hagan Arena. The team's only Final Four appearance in 1961 was removed from the NCAA records due to a gambling scandal. Through... |
29 | 116 | 4.00 | |||
| 1988–89 | C | Georgetown | 34 | 169 | 4.97 | |||
| 1989–90 | F | Rhode Island Rhode Island Rams men's basketball The Rhode Island Rams men's basketball team is a college basketball program that competes in NCAA Division I and the Atlantic Ten Conference representing the University of Rhode Island. The team is currently coached by Jim Baron, who is in his 10th year... |
26 | 124 | 4.77 | |||
| 1990–91 | C | BYU BYU Cougars men's basketball The BYU Cougars men's basketball team represents Brigham Young University in NCAA Division I basketball play. Established in 1902, the team has won 30 conference championships and 2 NIT Tournaments , and competed in 26 NCAA Tournaments. It currently competes in the West Coast Conference... |
34 | 177 | 5.21 | |||
| 1991–92 | C | LSU | 30 | 157 | 5.23 | |||
| 1992–93 | C | Wyoming | 28 | 124 | 4.43 | |||
| 1993–94 | C | Howard | 26 | 115 | 4.42 | |||
| 1994–95 | C | Central Connecticut State Central Connecticut State Blue Devils men's basketball The Central Connecticut Blue Devils Men's Basketball team is the basketball team that represent Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Connecticut. The school's team currently competes in the Northeast Conference and are currently coached by Howie Dickenman... |
26 | 139 | 5.35 | |||
| 1995–96 | (2) | C | Central Connecticut State Central Connecticut State Blue Devils men's basketball The Central Connecticut Blue Devils Men's Basketball team is the basketball team that represent Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Connecticut. The school's team currently competes in the Northeast Conference and are currently coached by Howie Dickenman... |
28 | 178 | 6.36 | ||
| 1996–97 | C | Colgate Colgate Raiders men's basketball The Colgate Raiders men's basketball team represents Colgate University in Hamilton, New York in NCAA Division I competition. The school's team competes in the Patriot League and play their home games in Cotterell Court.-NCAA Tournament Results:... |
28 | 180 | 6.43 | |||
| 1997–98 | C | Florida A&M Florida A&M Rattlers men's basketball The Florida A&M Rattlers basketball team is the basketball team that represent Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida. The school's team currently competes in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2007. Their home... |
27 | 125 | 4.63 | |||
| 1998–99 1998–99 NCAA Division I men's basketball season The 1998–99 NCAA Division I men's basketball season concluded in the 64-team 1999 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament whose finals were held at Tropicana Field in . The Connecticut Huskies earned their first national championship by defeating the Duke Blue Devils 77–74 on March 29, 1999... |
C/F | Hampton | 27 | 135 | 5.00 | |||
| 1999–00 | C | Ohio State Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball The Lucas Sapp men's basketball team represents The Ohio State University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. The Buckeyes are a member of the Big Ten Conference. The Buckeyes won their only National Championship in 1960 and have made a total of 21 NCAA Tournament appearances... |
30 | 161 | 5.37 | |||
| 2000–01 2000–01 NCAA Division I men's basketball season The 2000–01 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 8, 2000, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2001 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 2, 2001 at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in... |
(2) | C/F | Hampton | 32 | 147 | 4.59 | ||
| 2001–02 2001–02 NCAA Division I men's basketball season The 2001–02 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 9, 2001, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2002 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 1, 2002 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia... |
C | Louisiana–Monroe | 32 | 172 | 5.38 | |||
| 2002–03 2002–03 NCAA Division I men's basketball season The 2002–03 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 10, 2002, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2003 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 7, 2003 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans,... |
C | Connecticut Connecticut Huskies men's basketball The Connecticut Huskies is the name of the men's college basketball team representing the University of Connecticut, in Storrs, Connecticut, USA. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference... |
33 | 156 | 4.73 | |||
| 2003–04 2003–04 NCAA Division I men's basketball season The 2003–04 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 10, 2003, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 5, 2004 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas... |
C | Houston Houston Cougars men's basketball The Houston Cougars men's basketball team represents the University of Houston in Houston, Texas in U.S. NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The university is a member of Conference USA... |
27 | 111 | 4.11 | |||
| 2004–05 2004–05 NCAA Division I men's basketball season The 2004–05 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 10, 2004, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 2, 2005 at the Edward Jones Dome in Saint Louis,... |
F | Fairfield Fairfield Stags men's basketball The Fairfield Stags men's basketball team represents Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut and competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference of NCAA Division I. The Stags play their home games in the 9,500 seat, state of the art Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut and plays... |
30 | 165 | 5.50 | |||
| 2005–06 2005–06 NCAA Division I men's basketball season The 2005–06 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 6, 2005, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 3, 2006 at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana... |
F | Northeastern | 30 | 196 | 6.53 | |||
| 2006–07 | C | Alabama A&M | 30 | 188 | 6.27 | |||
| 2007–08 | F/C | Mississippi State Mississippi State Bulldogs men's basketball The Mississippi State Bulldogs basketball program represents Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS in men's NCAA Division I basketball. The Bulldogs play in the Southeastern Conference and are currently coached by Rick Stansbury. As of the 2010 season the Bulldogs are 1272-1056... |
34 | 157 | 4.62 | |||
| 2008–09 2008–09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season The 2008–09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 10, 2008 and ended with the 2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament's championship game on April 6, 2009 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. The season saw six different teams achieve the AP #1 ranking during the... |
(2) | F/C | Mississippi State Mississippi State Bulldogs men's basketball The Mississippi State Bulldogs basketball program represents Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS in men's NCAA Division I basketball. The Bulldogs play in the Southeastern Conference and are currently coached by Rick Stansbury. As of the 2010 season the Bulldogs are 1272-1056... |
36 | 170 | 4.72 | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season The 2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 9, 2009, and ended with the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament's championship game on April 5, 2010 on the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The opening round occurred on Tuesday, March 16, 2010, followed by first... |
F/C | Marshall Marshall Thundering Herd men's basketball The Marshall Thundering Herd men's basketball team is a basketball team from Marshall University in Huntington, West VirginiaNew head coach Tom Herrion will lead the Thundering Herd starting the 2010 season.... |
34 | 182 | 5.35 | |||
| 2010–11 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season The 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 8, 2010 with the preliminary games of the 2010 Coaches Vs. Cancer Classic, and ended with the 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament's championship game on April 4, 2011 at Reliant Stadium in Houston... |
^ | C | Northwestern State | 32 | 156 | 4.87 | ||