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Freshman center Greg Monroe

Georgetown is called Big Man University for a reason. Patrick Ewing, Dikembe Mutombo, Alonzo Mourning, Roy Hibbert – the Hoyas are known for their dominant centers.

And this year, if an athletic big man from Louisiana has his way, it will be no different. Greg Monroe, a 6-foot-11 Parade and McDonald’s All-American, is one of the most hyped freshmen in Georgetown history and among the top rookies in the nation. He is the crown jewel of the Hoyas’ highly rated incoming class and the heir apparent to the storied big-man throne at Georgetown.

onroe, a likely starter from day one, will be joined in the frontcourt by sophomore transfer Julian Vaughn and freshman Henry Sims, and guard Jason Clark rounds out the quartet of new players.

Though Monroe is filling the void left by Hibbert’s graduation and the transfer of former high school all-American Vernon Macklin, he’s no traditional center like Hibbert.

“He’s totally different [from Roy],” Head Coach John Thompson III says. “Maybe it’s natural to try and put him into: OK, Roy did this, Greg should do this, but it’s totally different.”

onroe’s high school highlights are full of the Harvey, La., native grabbing a defensive rebound and leading the break the other way, either finishing with a dunk or passing off to a teammate filling the lane. Monroe, a lefty, has a smooth shooting stroke and can step out to knock down three-pointers. In the lane, he is capable of scoring with both hands. Monroe is listed at 250 pounds on the Georgetown roster, which means he put on 25 pounds since his senior year. The extra bulk will help him bang with physical Big East centers and forwards.

One area, however, where it may be impossible to downplay comparisons between Monroe and Hibbert is their playmaking abilities. Hibbert was called a “point center” by some analysts for his excellent passing, and many expect the same of Monroe.

“He has an affinity and the gift for being able to pass the ball,” Thompson says.

onroe averaged 21 points and 14 rebounds per game his senior year at Helen Cox, and was an efficient shooter, nailing 65 percent of shotsfrom the field and 75 percent from the free-throw line. His athleticism and long wingspan made him one of the premier shot-blockers in the high school game. Monroe was twice named “Mr. Basketball” in Louisiana and led Helen Cox to the 2008 state title.

Despite all that, Monroe was occasionally criticized for not taking over more games in high school or scoring as much as other McDonald’s All-Americans. But his skills, unselfish play and court awareness lend themselves very well to higher levels of play, and teammates already see Monroe fitting in at the college level.

“He’s very aware of what’s going on in the game,” junior forward DaJuan Summers says. “For a young guy, it’s not likely for him to have the understanding that he has, but I think that’s where he has a one-up on the freshmen in the Big East this year.”

Thompson also knows that Monroe brings a lot more to the table than points and rebounds.

“He is a facilitator,” Thompson says. “For someone that came into college with the accolades and the hullabaloo that he did, he is someone that will make his teammates a lot better.”

Another similarity Monroe shares with Hibbert is the devotion to becoming a better player.

“I love the kid. He works hard,” Summers says. “He works tremendously hard.”

Adds senior guard Jessie Sapp: “No matter who talks to him, from [senior walk-on] Bryon Jansen all the way up to big Coach Thompson [Jr.], he takes it, and he does what they ask him to do.”

Backing up Monroe will be Vaughn and Sims.

Vaughn, a 6-foot-9 transfer from Florida State, brings valuable experience to the team.

“He’s gone through a season in the ACC,” Thompson says. “He has to learn what I want, but he understands the collegiate experience.”

Vaughn has been helping Monroe and Sims in practice, teaching the freshmen about playing the post at the college level.

“Obviously up front with Greg, with Henry, with Julian, they’re going to have to bear the brunt of a brutal, physical league,” Thompson says, “so they’ve got to get ready for that, and they have to push each other in practice.”

Vaughn played 13 minutes per game last year for the Seminoles, averaging three points and two rebounds a game. He blocked 21 shots.

“He’s a big, rugged, aggressive kid that makes shots,” Thompson adds.

Vaughn, who can hit the occasional three in addition to scoring closer to the basket, will likely make his biggest impact on defense. He was a prolific rebounder and shot-blocker in high school, and his wingspan is that of a seven-footer.

Normally transfers must sit out a year, but Vaughn was granted a waiver by the NCAA since he came to Georgetown to be closer to his home in Vienna, Va., and he was in good academic standing at Florida State. Receiving the transfer waiver was critical for the Hoyas, who lost Hibbert, Macklin and Patrick Ewing Jr. from last year’s frontcourt. The trio combined for over 60 minutes per game last year.

Sims, a Baltimore, Md., product, will also help fill the vacancy in the frontcourt. His 6-foot-10, 225-pound frame is still too thin for a big-time college center, but Sims has a tremendous upside and the potential to be a great player.

“Henry is someone you see getting better every day,” Thompson says. “Everyone’s heard that big men start to figure it out and get better late, and that’s happened with him.”

Like Monroe, Sims can shoot and run the floor. While he needs to work on scoring consistently, Sims should contribute immediately with his defense and shot-blocking prowess.

The lone guard of the group is 6-foot-2 Clark. On offense, the Arlington, Va., native is quick ballhandler, but will need to work on his jumper. Thompson praises Clark for his attention to detail and his ability to do a little bit of everything to help his team win.

“Jason is just a basketball player,” the coach says. “He is someone that truly appreciates every aspect of the game – whether it’s rebounding, whether it’s guarding, whether it’s coming up with loose balls, whether it’s getting deflections.”

Clark is a strong on-ball defender who could take over the role of defensive stopper left vacant by Jeremiah Rivers’ transfer. He is also a deceptively good rebounder for a player his size.

As a group, the four new faces will be thrust into playing significant minutes much quicker than freshmen have been in past years. Georgetown has not started a freshman in the season opener since 2004, but with only four returning regulars, the Hoyas will almost certainly have a new player in the starting lineup come Nov. 17.

“They don’t have the luxury of time,” Thompson says. “The expectations on the young guys are going to be great, and we’re going to expect them to perform quickly, to learn fast and to understand immediately.”

Playing such a significant role on the court, the new players – all exceptional athletes – will affect the Hoyas’ style of play.

“With the new guys, I think were going to have more of a fast-paced game,” Sapp says. “Coach is not going to take away from whatever he does; we’re still going to have our Princeton offense, but I think we have the tools to get up and down the court a little more.”

Regardless of the style of play, Georgetown will need its four newcomers to play with skill and discipline beyond their years.

“I told them in the summer,” Thompson says, “they came here, and in terms of the words `freshmen’ and `sophomores’ and `juniors’ – we’re not going to be able to use those.”

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