HACKENSACK, N.J. -- Fairleigh Dickinson junior guard
Darnell Edge completed the 2017-18 campaign as the most accurate free-throw shooter in the nation at 94.4 percent. Edge officially finalized his free-throw percentage title with the conclusion of Monday's NCAA Championship Game.
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Edge, who is a 93.2 percent (150-for-161) shooter at the line for his career, becomes the first Fairleigh Dickinson men's basketball player to lead the NCAA in a category in the program's 68-year history. The junior guard converted 84 of his 89 tries this season and bested Marquette's Markus Howard, who finished second by 0.6 percent.
"No one deserves this achievement more than Darnell," said head coach
Greg Herenda. "He is such a hardworking, humble young man and he did it the old-fashioned way. Darnell has put countless hours in the gym -- on his own -- shooting thousands upon thousands of shots when no one was watching."
On his outstanding accomplishment Edge said, "It's such an honor to finish first place in this category. There are great shooters all across the country so to finish the season as the best from the free throw line is special. It is a great feeling to see all my hardwork pay off."
The Saugerties, New York native has only missed 11 career free throws and knocked down 45 consecutive shots at the charity stripe this season before missing one at Mount St. Mary's on February 15.
"I remember seeing Darnell play in his very last AAU game of the recruiting period and I think he made every shot that he took that game as well," Herenda continued. "He came onto our campus at FDU as a 17-year old kid and now he has won a conference championship, gone to the NCAA Tournament and become the best free-throw shooter in the nation. It's really a great story. I am very happy for Darnell and his family."
Final NCAA Free-Throw Percentage leaders