Hollihan

MEADVILLE — Ryan Hollihan knew he'd have to wait a year before he got his chance at Allegheny College.

As a sophomore this year, he showed it was definitely worth the wait.

Hollihan, a graduate of Knoch High School, is leading the Gators in 12 categories, most notably in scoring (12.0 points per game), rebounding (6.1) and minutes played (26.9).

"I definitely had high expectations," said the 6-foot-8 forward from Saxonburg. "I knew we lost a key senior in the post and knew I'd have to step up. I worked hard over the summer to put on weight."

Hollihan packed on 15 pounds to increase his weight to 235, but still hasn't lost other attributes due to the increased muscle.

"He brings a unique athletic ability to the position," said Allegheny coach Rob Clune. "He's tall, mobile and athletic and runs the floor very well.

"I thought he'd be a major contributor right away. It depended on how quick he picked up the college game.

"The game is more mental in college. It's a longer season and a higher level. That's the toughest things to overcome. ... He understands what it takes to play at this level,"Clune added.

Hollihan had a stellar career at Knoch, averaging 15.3 points as a junior in helping the Knights reach the WPIAL Class AAA championship game, and he was a second-team Butler Eagle All-Star selection.

His senior year, Hollihan averaged 15.4 points, 9.8 rebounds and was a Butler Eagle first-team selection.

He enjoyed a solid freshman campaign at Allegheny, too, starting in 22 of his 25 games played and averaged 9.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per contest.

"Last year, I was getting overpowered," said Hollihan. "This year, I feel I can hold my own."

"I figured he would make an impact defensively last season," said Clune. ""He's probably going to get stronger. He has a thin build, but he's gotten a little stronger."

Hollihan didn't consider Allegheny College until halfway through his senior season.

"(Clune) was a nice guy and the school was good academically," said Hollihan. "I loved the athletic facilities and the coaches and players. "They love it there too. Everything fell into place.

"I don't regret my decision coming here at all," Hollihan added.

The Gators are 6-8 overall and 2-4 in the North Coast Athletic Conference.

"We've had some big wins and some losses, but overall we're doing a lot better than we did last year," said Hollihan.

The team is counting on production from a lot of its younger players — including Hollihan — which is, for the most part, the entire roster.

"It's a challenging schedule and a few more wins would have been nice, but we've been competitive," said Clune.

"As we get better, we'll see progress. You can see the chemistry. Overall, we're a pretty young team. We'll only graduate three players and one isn't starting."