Northeast Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year explained

NEC Men's Basketball Player of the Year
Description:the most outstanding basketball player in the Northeast Conference
Country:United States
Year:1983
Holder:Jordan Derkack, Merrimack

The Northeast Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year is an annual award given to the Northeast Conference's (NEC) most outstanding player. The award was first given following the 1982–83 season, when the league was known as the ECAC Metro Conference.

The most well-recognized NEC Player of the Year is Marist's Rik Smits, who won the award in both 1987 and 1988. Smits went on to have a successful National Basketball Association (NBA) career for 12 seasons (1988–2000), all with the Indiana Pacers.[1] In 1998, Smits was named an Eastern Conference All-Star.[1] In 2021–22, Alex Morales of Wagner became just the fourth NEC player to be named player of the year for two consecutive seasons, and the first since Charles Jones of Long Island University in 1997 and 1998.

LIU has the most winners with eight, all of whom represented Long Island University's Brooklyn campus before the school merged the athletic programs of its Brooklyn and Post campuses in July 2019. Robert Morris, which left the NEC for the Horizon League in 2020, is in second with six. All charter members of the Northeast Conference that are still members have had at least one winner.

Key

†Co-Players of the Year
Awarded a national player of the year award:
UPI College Basketball Player of the Year (1954–55 to 1995–96)
Naismith College Player of the Year (1968–69 to present)
John R. Wooden Award (1976–77 to present)
Player (X)Denotes the number of times the player has been awarded the NEC Player of the Year award at that point

Winners

SeasonPlayerSchoolPositionClassReference
1982–83MaristSG[2]
1983–84†Robert MorrisSG[3]
St. Francis (NY)F
Long IslandPF
1984–85 (2)Long IslandPF[4]
1985–86WagnerSG[5]
1986–87MaristC[6]
1987–88 (2)MaristC
1988–89Robert MorrisG[7]
1989–90Fairleigh DickinsonF[8]
1990–91Saint Francis (PA)PG[9]
1991–92Robert MorrisSG[10]
1992–93RiderSG[11]
1993–94MaristSF[12]
1994–95Long IslandPF[13]
1995–96Mount St. Mary'sPG[14]
1996–97Long IslandPG / SG[15]
1997–98 (2)Long IslandPG / SG
1998–99St. Francis (NY)PG[16]
1999–00Central ConnecticutSG[17]
2000–01MonmouthPG[18]
2001–02Central ConnecticutF[19]
2002–03WagnerSF
2003–04Central ConnecticutF[20]
2004–05MonmouthPF[21]
2005–06Fairleigh DickinsonSG[22]
2006–07Central ConnecticutSG / PG[23]
2007–08Robert MorrisPG[24]
2008–09Robert MorrisSG[25]
2009–10QuinnipiacPF[26]
2010–11Central ConnecticutSF[27]
2011–12Long IslandPF[28]
2012–13Long IslandPF[29]
2013–14Robert MorrisSG[30]
2014–15St. Francis BrooklynPF[31]
2015–16Sacred HeartSG[32]
2016–17Long IslandSF[33]
2017–18Mount St. Mary'sPG[34]
2018–19Saint Francis (PA)PG[35]
2019–20Saint Francis (PA)PG[36]
2020–21WagnerSG
2021–22 (2) WagnerSG
2022–23Saint Francis (PA)PF[37]
MerrimackPF
2023–24MerrimackG[38]

Winners by school

School (year joined)WinnersYears
LIU (1981)81984†, 1985, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2012, 2013, 2017
Robert Morris (1981)61984†, 1989, 1992, 2008, 2009, 2014
Central Connecticut (1997)52000, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2011
Marist (1981)41983, 1987, 1988, 1994
Saint Francis (PA) (1981)41991, 2019, 2020, 2023†
Wagner (1981)41986, 2003, 2021, 2022
St. Francis Brooklyn (1981)31984†, 1999, 2015
Fairleigh Dickinson (1981)21990, 2006
Merrimack (2019)22023†, 2024
Monmouth (1985)22001, 2005
Mount St. Mary's (1989)21996, 2018
Quinnipiac (1998)12010
Rider (1992)11993
Sacred Heart (1999)12016
Bryant (2008)0—
Chicago State (2024)0—
Le Moyne (2023)0—
Loyola (MD) (1981)0—
Mercyhurst (2024)0—
Siena (1981)0—
Stonehill (2022)0—
UMBC (1998)0—

Footnotes

In addition, one charter member, Towson University (then Towson State University), left after the conference's first season of 1981–82, before the player of the year award was created. The Tigers left for the East Coast Conference, and are now in the Coastal Athletic Association.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rik Smits Bio . . 14 April 2010.
  2. News: Cassata. Donna. Smith ECAC Metro Player of the Year . . . March 9, 1983 . 21. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  3. News: Straetz. Bob. ECAC Metro tourney wide open . Poughkeepsie Journal . Poughkeepsie, New York . March 8, 1984 . 25. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  4. News: Furjanic. Matt. 17–12 finish was beyond expectations . Poughkeepsie Journal . Poughkeepsie, New York . March 17, 1985 . 6C. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  5. Web site: Men's Northeast Conference Player of the Year Winners . . 2023 . sports-reference.com . Sports Reference LLC . January 8, 2024.
  6. News: College basketball . . . March 10, 1988 . 49. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  7. News: Rosen. Karen. Arizona Routs Robert Morris . . . March 17, 1989 . 108. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  8. News: Leonard. Tim. He Can Play: Glen Cove's gift to FDU weighs future in 2 sports. . . March 9, 1990 . 172. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  9. News: Rivera. Steve. Izzy ready? UA foe asks . . . March 14, 1991 . 33. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  10. News: Halvonik. Steve. Prince of the city . . . March 17, 1992 . 7. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  11. News: Climer. David. Mom's U-turn left Suber with ticket to Rider . . . March 18, 1993 . 32. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  12. News: All-NEC Teams . The Baltimore Sun . Baltimore, Maryland . March 1, 1994 . 36. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  13. News: Brown. Scott. 'March Madness' takes center stage . . . March 1, 1995 . 8. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  14. News: Blubaugh. Bob. Illinois State routs MSM . . . March 14, 1996 . 9. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  15. News: . March 1, 2022 . Alex Morales Repeats As NEC Player of Year, Earns Defensive Player Of The Year Honors As Five Seahawks Earn Postseason Recognition . WagnerAthletics.com . Staten Island, New York. Morales joins LIU's Carey Scurry (1983–84 and 1984–85), Marist's Rik Smits (1986–87 and 1987–88) and LIU's Charles Jones (1996–97 and 1997–98) as the only players to win NEC Player of the Year twice while becoming the first Wagner player ever to achieve the feat. Last season, Morales became Wagner's third-ever player to win the award, joining NEC Hall of Famers Terrance Bailey (1985–86) and Jermaine Hall (2002–03).. January 8, 2024.
  16. News: All-Conference Teams: NEC Men's Basketball . . . March 3, 1999 . 164. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  17. News: Yantz. Tom. A Good Call: Central's Climb Began With Mickens . Hartford Courant . Hartford, Connecticut . March 16, 2000 . 69. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  18. News: Handleman. Bill. Let's Dance. . . March 7, 2001 . 4. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  19. News: Graham. Tony. A look at the NEC . Asbury Park Press . Neptune Township, New Jersey . March 1, 2002 . 41. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  20. News: All-Conference Men's Teams: Northeast Conference . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania . March 5, 2004 . 24. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  21. News: Graham. Tomy. Hamilton takes home NEC honor . Asbury Park Press . Neptune Township, New Jersey . March 3, 2005 . 20. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  22. News: NEC Men's Basketball Honors . Hartford Courant . Hartford, Connecticut . March 2, 2006 . C05. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  23. News: Yantz. Tom. A Walk-On Home Run: Mojica Named NEC Player Of The Year . Hartford Courant . Hartford, Connecticut . March 1, 2007 . C01. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  24. News: NEC Awards . Hartford Courant . Hartford, Connecticut . March 6, 2008 . C02. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  25. News: Dunlap. Colin. Colonials better suited to avoid last year's crash . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania . March 5, 2009 . 23. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  26. News: Sanserino. Michael. Second chance vs. Quinnipiac . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania . March 10, 2010 . 24. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  27. News: Boyer. Zac. Horton NEC Player Of Year . Hartford Courant . Hartford, Connecticut . March 2, 2011 . C01. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  28. News: Brennan. Sean. LIU wins for Dance encore . . . March 8, 2012 . 73. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  29. News: Kussoy . Howie . March 6, 2013 . LIU's Olasewere is NEC Player of Year . . New York, New York . January 8, 2024.
  30. News: Meyer. Craig. Finding his way home . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania . March 18, 2014 . 32. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  31. News: Robert Morris wins NE title . Greenwood Index-Journal . . March 11, 2015 . 13. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  32. News: Valentine, Hield Unanimous All-Americans . Hartford Courant . Hartford, Connecticut . March 30, 2016 . C3. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  33. News: Carino. Jerry. Three N.J. players earn All-America recognition . . . March 29, 2017 . C4. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  34. News: Sankofa II. Omari. Don't diss Burke . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania . March 3, 2018 . C4. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  35. News: Carino. Jerry. FDU wins NEC title; earns bid to NCAAs . . . March 13, 2019 . S2. Newspapers.com. January 8, 2024.
  36. News: Rucosky . John . March 4, 2020 . St. Francis senior Blackmon named NEC player of the year . . . January 8, 2024.
  37. News: . February 28, 2023 . Two Of A Kind: SFU's Josh Cohen & Merrimack's Jordan Minor Share #NECMBB Player of the Year Honors . Northeast Conference . . January 8, 2024.
  38. News: Carino. Jerry. Rutgers adds Derkack, a native of Woodbridge . . . April 18, 2024 . B2. Newspapers.com. June 24, 2024.

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