by Kent Cherrington

Richard Orr Sports Photos.

Persistence and hard work really do pay off. Just ask Devin Ruocco.

For three years, Ruocco was a reserve on the PSU men’s basketball team. During his first year, he showed potential, but like many first-year students, he saw limited playing time while adjusting to the college game. He was just coming off the bench as a sophomore when he was sidelined for two months with mononucleosis. Things finally started to turn around for Ruocco during his junior year, when he made some solid contributions to the team.

But it all came together for Ruocco this season, his last at PSU. As part of the starting lineup for the Panthers, the senior scored 413 points—more than double what he scored during his first three seasons combined. Ruocco was also named LEC Player of theWeek twice, and he ranked second in the Little East in both three-point baskets made and three-point field goal percentage.

Now Ruocco is being honored for his accomplishments in the classroom as well as on the basketball court. He was recently selected by the College Sports Information
Directors of America (CoSIDA) for the ESPNe Magazine Academic All-District Team.

To be eligible for the ESPNe Magazine Academic All-America program, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve and maintain at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average. A business management major who has consistently made the Dean’s List every semester since starting at PSU, Ruocco earned a 4.0 grade point average last semester. He’s a member of Delta Mu Delta, the business administration honor society, and earned a certificate of merit from the PSU Business Department.

“Devin’s a quiet leader,” said Panther head men’s basketball coach John Scheinman. “He’s an outstanding student and he represents PSU in a first-class manner at all times.”

Richard Orr Sports photos.