AMES, Iowa – Iowa State sophomore Royce White made an auspicious debut on Saturday and the Big 12 Conference honored him with his performance. White, a native Minneapolis, Minn., earned the season’s first Big 12 Rookie of the Week Award by a select panel of media covering the league.

White was instrumental in Iowa State’s season-opening win over Lehigh, recording a double-double with 25 points and 11 boards in his first official game in over two years. The 6-8, 270-pounder was 9-of-15 from the field and 7-of-9 from the line en route to his game-high 25 points. He also had two assists and three blocks.

White’s effort was one of the best Cyclone debuts in recent memory, bettering Jackson Vroman’s 23-point, 10-rebound performance in his first game as a Cyclone vs. Coe in 2002.

It marks the second consecutive year where a Cyclone earned the season’s first Big 12 Newcomer of the Year Award. Jake Anderson opened the 2010-11 campaign by claiming the honor.