LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Thursday afternoon Head Coach Jason Hooten introduced Christian Cook as the newest addition to the program.
 
The high-level Division II transfer will join Coach Hooten and the Aggies for the 2023-24 campaign after serving as the leading scorer at Northeastern State University this past season.
 
Christian Cook | Jr. | 6-2 | Oklahoma City, Okla. | Northeastern State | Midwest City HS

• Set to begin his third season at the collegiate level at NM State after serving as a premier scorer for three seasons at Northeastern State. In his final season with the RiverHawks, Cook appeared in 22 games and made 23 starts while averaging a team-high 16.0 points per game. In addition, he dished out 2.2 assists, brought in 1.8 rebounds and tallied 1.0 steals per game to help lead NSU to an appearance in the MIAA Basketball Championships.
• During his third season with the RiverHawks, he earned All-MIAA Third Team honors after leading NSU in scoring on 10 different occasions, including posting a season-best mark of 28 points in an overtime win over Washburn on Nov. 28. In total, Cook finished the season with seven 20-plus point performances.
• Cook also served as the RiverHawks' best sharpshooter as he made a career-high 61 three-pointers while shooting at a 41.5% clip from beyond the arc. On the season, he also posted a 45.4 shooting percentage from the field and an 81.1% success rate from the charity stripe.
• His final season with the NSU program marked the second consecutive year in which he averaged double-digit scoring figures after posting 14.0 points per game during the 2021-22 season. In a breakout year, Cook recorded 29 starts and appeared in 30 games while averaging a team-high 30.7 minutes per game. The Oklahoma City native also produced the most efficient year of his career in his second season with NSU as he shot 45.5% from the field and 44.1% from three-point land.
• As a sophomore, Cook provided leadership for a RiverHawk team who finished with a winning record for just the second time in eight seasons as they posted a 16-14 overall record and earned an appearance in the MIAA Basketball Championships Quarterfinals.
• His second season with NSU was highlighted by a career-high 29-point effort against Central Missouri on Jan. 11, 2022, which also marked the only game he was not in the starting lineup for. Including the near 30-point night, Cook scored in double figures in 23 of the 30 games he checked in to. He also averaged 2.1 assists, 1.9 rebounds and 0.7 steals per contest.
• After earning a spot on the roster, Cook made his way into 21 of the RiverHawks' 22 games and made a pair of starts as a true freshman. During his freshman year, Cook averaged 20.2 minutes, 7.7 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 45.2% from the field.
• Cook burst onto the scene late in his freshman year as he scored 13 or more points in each of the RiverHawks' final five contests, including a season-high 23-point scoring mark in NSU's penultimate game of the season.
• As a senior in high school, Cook starred for Midwest City High School and was named the Oklahoma State Offensive 6A Player of the Year. He was also awarded an all-state selection and was named to the Big All-City Boys Basketball First Team by The Oklahoman after averaging 18.0 points per game.
• The newest Aggie is the son of Christina and Roy Hart and has three brothers, Elijah Hart, Isaiah Hart and Israel Hart. 

QUOTABLE | Head Coach Jason Hooten
"We are really excited about the signing of Christian Cook. Christian played in one of the best Division II conferences in the country and had tremendous success there. His scoring average and shooting percentages were terrific, and from our past experiences with DII players, we feel these numbers will translate on the mid-major DI level. Christian has the ability to make shots and the toughness to guard like we want to here at New Mexico State. His attitude and work ethic are traits we look for as we continue to build our culture of TeamFamilyBelieve!"