Montrezl Harrell Named Pre-Season All-American

Mark BlankenbakerAugust 25, 2014

University of Louisville forward Montrezl Harrell has been named as a first-team All-America selection by the 2014-15 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook.

Harrell joins Virginia’s Malcolm Brogdon, Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky North Carolina’s Marcus Paige and Wichita State’s Fred Van Vleet on the publication’s All-America first team, three of which play for teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference. All five grace the cover of this year’s Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, which is available for pre-order online at www.blueribbonyearbookonline.com. Edited by Chris Dortch, the publication is noted as the most comprehensive college basketball publication on the market.

The 2013-14 American Athletic Conference Most Improved Player and a first-team all-conference selection, Harrell averaged 14.0 points, 8.4 rebounds and blocked 49 shots as a sophomore for the Cardinals (31-6). He was sixth nationally in field goal percentage, connecting on 60.9 percent from the field, as UofL shared the American Athletic Conference title, won the league postseason tournament and reached the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16.

Harrell produced 12 double-doubles during the 2013-14 season, including 11 over the final 22 games. He was named to the league’s all-tournament team, totaling 22 points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots in the championship game against UConn. His 97 dunks during the 2013-14 season shattered the previous season record of 59 and his 142 dunks in two seasons ranks third on the UofL career list. He will enter his junior year 255 points short of 1,000 for his career.

Harrell is the third straight Cardinal to earn the honor. Russ Smith was selected last year and graced the publication’s cover, while Peyton Siva as a 2012-13 Blue Ribbon Basketball Yearbook pick and was featured on the cover.