Hamady Ndiaye

Classroom

Ndiaye is one of the top student-athletes in the Rutgers men’s basketball program.  Fluent in four languages, he has overcome a language barrier to achieve great success in the classroom.  He is a communications major and entered the fall 2009 semester with a 2.807 cumulative grade point average.  Ndiaye has been cited on the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll with a semester grade point average of 3.0 or above three times.  He received the team’s Kevin Collins Most Improved Scholar-Athlete Award in 2008-09 a year after receiving the George Mackaronis Scholar-Athlete Award in 2007-08.  Additionally, Ndiaye has served as a teaching assistant for a class in the Department of Labor Studies and is on target to receive his degree in spring 2010.

Character

Ndiaye is a very effective and sincere ambassador for Rutgers University.  A member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee since his freshman year, he is also a mentor in the athletic department’s mentoring program.  A team co-captain as a junior in 2008-09, he is the lone senior on the 2009-10 roster.  Consistently among the first, if not the first, to arrive for workouts, whether they be in-season or off-season, he relishes his role as a mentor to the younger players.  His dedication in the weight room and his willingness to get involved in extracurricular activities has been particularly notable.  Ndiaye started playing basketball at the age of 16 after previously competing in soccer as a goalkeeper.  His intent is to utilize the education he gains in the United States to make a positive difference in his native Senegal.

Community

Ndiaye is one of the most involved Scarlet Knights in the community.  He is active in the national “Read Across America” program and reads to children at local elementary schools.  In addition, every season he has played at Rutgers, he has been a pen pal with a local elementary school student.  During the holiday season, he helps distribute toys to needy children through Toys for Tots.  He has also participated in the “Get out the Vote” initiative for the 2008 election, as well as fundraising walks to benefit lupus and cancer awareness.

Competition

Ndiaye is one of the nation’s premier shot blockers and has played his best basketball in the BIG EAST against some of the nation’s top big men.  Entering his senior season, he has already accumulated 213 blocks, good for fifth most in Rutgers history.  Ndiaye ranked third in the BIG EAST and 30th nationally in blocks per game as a junior after ranking 10th nationally and second in the BIG EAST in blocks during his sophomore season (2007-08).  As a freshman in 2006-07, he was a Rivals preseason BIG EAST All-Freshman team selection.  Ndiaye has twice been named Rutgers’ defensive Most Valuable Player.