Jan. 23, 2006

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. - Navy newcomer Kaleo Kina (El Mirage, Ariz.) has been named the Patriot League Men's Basketball Rookie of the Week the league announced Monday afternoon. Kina averaged 12.0 points and 2.5 assists per game in leading the Mids to a 1-1 record last week and featured a 71-65 win over Longwood.

"Kaleo has been very passionate about becoming a great player and being part of a great basketball tradition at Navy," said second-year head coach Billy Lange. "Kaleo stepped up and adjusted very well to playing a new position, the point, when Corey (Johnson) was hurt and now we are working him back into his natural position which is off the ball. He works hard, cares a great deal about Navy basketball and I'm really excited to see him progress. It's great to see some of our young guys get the opportunity to play this season and in turn, be recognized."

Kina is the only Midshipman to not only play in every game this season, but score in every contest, as well. Navy's third-leading scorer averaging 10.7 points per game, Kina ranks 19th on the Mids' all-time freshman scoring list with 182 points. He is just 18 points shy of becoming only the 16th player in school history to score 200 points as a freshman. He has reached double digits in the scoring column 10 times, including five of the last six games. In addition, Kina is pacing the Mids in assists, dealing out 3.6 helpers per outing.

Kina is the league's top-scoring freshman (10.7 ppg) and is second among rookies in assists (3.6 apg) behind American's Derrick Mercer who is dealing out 3.8 helpers per game.

The Midshipmen will be back in action Wednesday when they play host to American at 7:30 p.m. at Alumni Hall.

G-o N-a-v-y