Ron Harper Jr. of Rutgers University was named the 2022 winner of the Lt. Frank J. Haggerty Award on Monday, presented annually since 1936 to the area’s Division I men’s college Player of the Year by the Met Basketball Writers Association.

A 6-6 senior guard/forward from Franklin Lakes, NJ, Harper represents the third player and fourth time a Scarlet Knight has been named recipient of the Haggerty Award. The last time a Rutgers player was so honored was Quincy Douby in 2006. Previously, Phil Sellers won back-to-back in 1975-76.
 
Harper --- who also was named to the All-Met and All-ECAC First Teams, to the All-Big Ten Conference and NABC All-District Second Team, and an Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention ---. started all 32 games this past season for Rutgers (18-14, 12-8), scoring in double digits in 27 of those contests.
 
He averaged a team-leading 15.8 points per game, along with 5.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.0 steals, and shot 44.4% (171-of-387) from the field, 39.8% (68-of-171) from 3-point range and 79.5% (97-of-122) at the free throw line.
 
A product of Don Bosco Prep in New Jersey, his 22 points scored in a season-ending NCAA First Four 89-87 double overtime loss to Notre Dame netted Harper a career total of 1,525 points at Rutgers, tying him for 12th on the all-time school scoring list with Roy Hinson. Having played in 121 games with 109 starts, Harper also finished with 622 career rebounds.
 
Other highlights from the past season: career-highs of 31 points and six 3 pointers made against Maryland; 29 points in the victory over Nebraska with a perfect 10-of-10 at the free-throw line; led the way with 30 points and made a memorable buzzer-beating 3-pointer to defeat No. 1-ranked Purdue; hit the game-winning shot at Indiana with 2.1 seconds remaining.
 
Harper is the first Scarlet Knight to be named an AP All-American since Douby and the highest All-Conference selection for an RU player since 2006.