TRAFFORD, Pa. (Feb. 24) -- For the fifth and final time this season, Rob Thomas (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills) was named the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Newcomer of the Week, the league office announced Monday afternoon. Thomas is the first Tomcat in program history to garner Newcomer of the Week status five times in a season and the first PAC player to do so since W&J's Primo Zini did so in 2018-19.

Thomas averaged 16 points, 10.5 rebounds and two steals as Thiel went 1-1 in league play in the final week of the season. 

The five-time Newcomer of the Week posted career bests in points (29), rebounds (14) and offensive rebounds (nine) against W&J Wednesday for his first career double-double. Thomas swiped four steals and finished 10-of-18 from the field and 9-of-13 from the charity stripe in the home finale. In Saturday's 66-51 win at Waynesburg, he pitched in 3 points and grabbed seven boards.

Thomas concludes his freshman campaign tied for seventh in the PAC in shooting at 48.9 percent (109-for-223) and tied for 17th in steals per game (1.3). His nine steals in Thiel's 77-68 win over Westminster on Dec. 4 were the most by any PAC player this season. Thomas added a then-career-best 27 points in that victory over the Titans.

The Pittsburgh native logged at least 10 points in 12 games this season, including in five consecutive contests from Dec. 4 to Jan. 4.