Damian Saunders

Classroom

Saunders is currently working toward his undergraduate degree in sociology.

Character

Saunders is a three-year starter and a two-time team co-captain. A leader by example, he is one of the hardest-working players in the program. Saunders, who has played a major role in the renaissance of Duquesne basketball, is bidding to become the first four-year DU player since 1975 to not experience a losing season.

Community

Saunders accompanied his teammates to the Woodlands Foundation located in Wexford, Pa., to conduct a basketball clinic. The non-profit foundation was formed with the mission of enriching the lives of children and adults with disabilities and chronic illness in western Pennsylvania. He also helped welcome a group of Best Buddies to the Palumbo Center for an afternoon of basketball and participated in various campus-sponsored clean-up events around the city of Pittsburgh.

Competition

Saunders is the reigning Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year and a returning first-team All-Atlantic 10 performer. Last season he ranked among the nation’s top 15 performers in steals (2nd), rebounds (6th), double-doubles (6th) and blocks (13th). He is the only player in Atlantic 10 history to post at least 350 rebounds (360) and more than 50 assists (78), steals (89) and blocks (94) in a season. Saunders has broken the school single-season record for steals in each of the past two seasons with 71 in 2009 and 89 in 2010. With 14 steals he will become Duquesne’s all-time leader and he has a chance to become just the second player in school history to average more than two steals per game in three consecutive seasons.