NCAA Basketball: 5 best players from state of Vermont of last decade

2. Clancy Rugg – Vermont

There’s only one D1 school in the state and Rugg is another player who did some fantastic work at Vermont in his home state. A 6’8 forward from Burlington, he was a bench player early in his career for the Catamounts but blossomed into a key part of the frontcourt as an upperclassman. He arrived on campus way back in 2010, though he had certainly made his mark by the time his four years had passed.

Rugg played few minutes as a freshman and started to see action as a sophomore, but his final two seasons were where it all came together. He played in his only NCAA Tournament during that second season but was much more productive after that. Rugg averaged 11.4 points and 5.7 rebounds a game as a junior on a 21-win squad, which a career-high 15 rebounds in a win over Stony Brook. His numbers were just as impressive as a senior, leading the Catamounts to the America East regular season crown.

Rugg was an impressive performer for the Catamounts, earning All-America East honors for each of those upperclassmen seasons. He took home First Team honors as a senior, a season where he was among the conference’s best scorers, rebounders, and efficient players. A team captain on a few successful squads, Rugg certainly left an impact with the Catamounts during those final years and continued his career professionally overseas.