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2022-23 Men's Basketball Roster

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NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Ben Solomon
Ben Solomon

22 Caleb McConnell

22 Caleb McConnell

  • Position:
    Guard
  • Height:
    6-7
  • Weight:
    200
  • Class:
    Fifth Year
  • Hometown:
    Jacksonville, Fla.
  • Highschool:
    SPIRE Academy (Ohio)

Summary

Biography

Caleb McConnell is the two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, the only individual award given to a RU player since joining the conference in 2014. McConnell, who led the conference with 70 steals in 2021-22, decided for one last ride with his beloved Scarlet Knights after working out with several NBA teams during the offseason. He announced his decision with an Instagram video on June 1st “calling Rutgers Nation” from his hometown in Florida.  

McConnell missed the first five games of the season with a knee injury but returned right back to form averaging 9.1 points. 5.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists-per-game. McConnell averaged 2.5 steals-per-game with 71 steals, good for second in the conference. His 2.56 steals-per-game were good for sixth in the nation and first in the Big Ten Conference. McConnell finished his career first all-time on the Rutgers steals list (221) after tracking down the great Eddie Jordan's 220 career steals with two steals in his final game at RU.

He was selected for the 2023 NABC – Reese's Division I College All-Star Game and invited to the NBA G-League Elite Camp. 

2022-23 (Senior):
  • Named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Third Team All-MET
  • Became the first player in Rutgers history to win the Lefty Driesell Award and became the first RU player to win a national defensive player of the year award twice this past season.
  • Earned the 2022-23 ESPN College Gameday National Defensive Player of the Year Award
  • Posted career-bests in points per game (9.1 ppg) and rebounds (5.5 rpg)
  • Had career-high 86 assists and 71 steals  
  • Became RU's all-time career steal leader
  • Had 14 games of scoring in double-figures
  • Made season debut versus CCSU after missing the five games due to injury (knee)
  • Excelled at Miami with 16 points, six rebounds, four assists in 35 minutes
  • Posted 16 points, 10 rebounds for double-double in win over No. 8/10 Indiana
  • Earned All-Met Player of the Week (Dec. 6)
2021-22 (Senior):
  • Named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year
  • First Rutgers’ player to win conference Defensive Player of the Year award since Hamady Ndiaye in 2009-10 
  • Also named Named Honorable Mention All-Big Ten and to Big Ten All-Defensive Team
  • Led Big Ten in steals, setting new career-high in steals with 70 on the season.
  • Was on the Watch List and a Semifinalist (top 5) for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year 
  • Had streak of four games of over four+ steals to key wins over No. 13 Michigan State (four) and No. 16 Ohio State (four), No. 13 Wisconsin (six) and No. 12 Illinois (four).
  • His 21 steals over a five-game stretch tied him for second most in the Big Ten since 2002-03.
  • Scored in double-figures four times in a five-game span (Clemson, Purdue, Seton Hall, Maine)
  • 16 points versus Clemson was new career-high
  • Also set career-highs in rebounds (12, Seton Hall), assists (9, UMass) and steals (6, UMass)
  • Had four steals in each of wins over No. 13 Michigan State and No. 16 Ohio State
  • Had key chase-down block on breakaway layup attempt to spark 10-0 run to close out win over No. 16 Buckeyes 
2020-21 (Junior):
  • Played in 20 games (eight starts), averaging 5.7 points and career-best 4.3 rebounds with career-high 29 steals 
  • Did not make season debut until Jan. 2 against No. 10 Iowa as he recovered from a back injury
  • Scored 12 points with 3 assists and four rebounds versus Ohio State (Jan. 9)
  • Posted season-highs with 14 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals in win over Minnesota (Feb. 4)
  • Commanded his way off the bench with a double-double (13 points and 10 rebounds) in win against Clemson in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament (Mar. 19).
2019-20 (Sophomore):
  • Starter at guard in 21 of 31 games played, averaging 6.7 points and 3.7 rebounds with 25 steals
  • Shot 41.1 percent from the field and team-best 79.2 percent from the free throw line
  • Against Big Ten competition, averaged 6.6 points and 3.9 rebounds with 13 steals while shooting 80 percent from the free throw line
  • Scored in double-figures 10 times, leading team in scoring four times
  • Scored season-high 20 points on 8-8 shooting with a career-high five assists in win at Nebraska (Jan. 3)
  • Had first career double-double with 10 points and career-high 12 rebounds in win over Minnesota (Jan. 19)
  • Was perfect 12-12 at free throw line against Purdue (Jan. 28), tied for most ever by a RU player in a Big Ten game.
2018-19 (Freshman):
  • Averaged 5.5 points and 2.5 rebounds with 26 steals and 32 assists
  • Led team in 3-point percentage (35.7%) and was second in team in steals
  • Among Big Ten freshman, ranked fifth in steals
  • Scored in double-figures six times, five of those coming against Big Ten foes, including a career-best 25 points at Illinois (Feb. 9)
  • Averaged 11.8 points over the final four games of the season
Scholastic: 
  • A 247Sports and Rivals three-star prospect who attended SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio, helping the team to a 22-6 record in 2017-18 under head coach Dave Briski
  • Averaged 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.0 steals-per-game as a senior
  • Scored 30 points with seven assists against Our Savior Lutheran (N.Y.)
  • Had multiple double-digit scoring games
  • Ranked the No. 9 recruit in Ohio by 247Sports.com
  • Averaged 13.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists as a junior at Dayton (Ohio) Dunbar High before transferring to SPIRE
  • A 2016-2017 Associated Press Southwest All-District II honoree
  • Competed on the AAU circuit for C2K Elite 

    Personal:
  • Son of Bryant McConnell and Stefanie Meade
  • Signed with Scarlet Knights over reported offers from West Virginia, Wichita State, UMass, St. Bonaventure, Temple, Missouri State, Wright State, Akron and Kent State
  • Major is Africana Studies
No stats available for the current season.

Stat Snapshot (Season Avgs.)

Points
Assists
Rebounds
Steals

Stat Snapshot (Career Avgs.)

Points
Assists
Rebounds
Steals

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Season Stats

Season:
2022-23
There are no statistics for this selected season available for this player.
There are no statistics for this selected season available for this player.

Career Stats

Career Statistics

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Historical Player Information

  • 22

    2018-19Freshman

    Guard
    6'6" 190 lbs
    22
  • 22

    2019-20Sophomore

    Guard
    6'7" 190 lbs
    22
  • 22

    2020-21Junior

    Guard
    6'7" 195 lbs
    22
  • 22

    2021-22Senior

    Guard
    6'7" 200 lbs
    22
  • 22

    2022-23Fifth Year

    Guard
    6'7" 200 lbs
    22
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