Mansfield University men’s basketball freshman Saraj Ali was named PSAC Eastern Division Rookie of the Year. The Williamsport, Pa. native makes it back-to-back Rookie of the Year award winners for the Mounties, following in the footsteps of Justice Smith.

Ali didn’t wait long to make his impact on the Mountaineers, earning the starting power forward position prior to the season, before scoring 13 points, pulling in five rebounds, and dishing out five assists in his debut.

Ali went on to score in double figures in 10 games, while notching double-doubles in four. The Loyalsock Township High School grad scored a season-high 20 points against Slippery Rock on Dec. 18, before pulling in a career-high 15 rebounds in a victory over Lock Haven on Jan. 11.

Ali’s brightest moment came when he tipped-in a missed layup as time expired to lead the Mounties to a 73-72 victory over Kutztown.

The freshman appeared in 21 games, making 20 starts in 2022-23, where he finished with averages of 9.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game. Ali finished second in rebounding and fourth in scoring on the team.