Ryan Davis Chosen #AEHoops Player of Year Highlight Award Winners

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BOSTON – For the fifth-straight year, a Vermont Catamount is the America East Kevin Roberson Player of the Year as Ryan Davis received the honor to highlight the 2020-21 men’s basketball award winners announced on Thursday morning. All of the conference’s 2020-21 major awards were announced along with the All-Conference, All-Defensive, All-Rookie and All-Academic teams. Award winners were determined in a vote by the league’s head coaches, who could not vote for their own players.

Full Awards Listing

Davis was joined as a major award winner by four others, including Stony Brook’s Mouhamadou Gueye, the Defensive Player of the Year. UMBC’s Ryan Odom earned Coach of the Year accolades while the Retrievers’ Keondre Kennedy picked up Sixth Man of the Year honors and New Hampshire’s Nick Johnson was recognized as Rookie of the Year.

Kevin Roberson Player of the Year
Ryan Davis, Jr., Forward, Vermont

Fifth-straight Catamount to earn the award and 13^th all-time.
Ranks second in the country in Player Efficiency Rating to Iowa’s Luke Garza.
Ranks second in the league in scoring (18.8 ppg), ninth in rebounding (6.5 rpg) and leads in field goal percentage (.580).
Also a first-team All-Conference honoree for the first time.

Defensive Player of the Year
Mouhamadou Gueye, Sr., Forward, Stony Brook

One of the top shot blockers in the country, ranking seventh totaling 3.0 blocks per game.
The 3.0 blocks per game average is the most since Jameel Warney in 2015-16.
Ranks fifth in the conference in rebounding (6.9 rpg) and has totaled the second-most defensive boards in the conference.
Sixth Seawolf to earn Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Also an All-Defensive team and third-team All-Conference choice.

Sixth Man of the Year
Keondre Kennedy, Jr., Guard, UMBC

Unanimous selection and the first Retriever to be named Sixth Man of the Year.
Key contributor on UMBC’s regular-season title winning squad.
Averages 8.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in under 25 minutes per game off the bench.
Shoots 42 percent from the field and 93 percent from the free throw line.
Scored career-high 18 points in win over Binghamton on Dec. 27.

Rookie of the Year
Nick Johnson, R-Fr., Guard, New Hampshire

Just the fourth Wildcat to earn the honor, joining program greats Al McLain, Pat Manor and Tanner Leissner.
Key part of UNH’s team that earned its best #AEPlayoffs seed in over 25 seasons.
Top rookie scorer in the league averaging 7.6 points per game while also contributing 4.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists per content.
Was named #AEHoops Rookie of the Week four times this season.
Highlighted the All-Rookie team as one of five selections.

Coach of the Year
Ryan Odom – 5^th Season

Chosen Coach of the Year for the first time.
Just the second UMBC head coach to earn the honor joining Randy Monroe (2007-08).
Helped the Retrievers earn a share of the America East regular-season title and the top seed in the #AEPlayoffs for just the second time in program history and the first time in 13 seasons.
Led UMBC to a league-best 14-5 overall record, including a 9-4 league mark.

Seven seniors, Six juniors, one sophomore and one graduate student comprised the All-Conference teams. The top four teams in the league standings comprised nine of the 15 selections.

2020-21 America East Men’s Basketball Awards
First Team All-Conference
Ryan Davis, Jr., F, Vermont
R.J. Eytle-Rock, Jr., G, UMBC
Brandon Horvath, Sr., F, UMBC
Jayden Martinez, Jr., F, New Hampshire
Obadiah Noel, Sr., G, UMass Lowell

Second Team All-Conference
Traci Carter, Gr., G, Hartford
Nick Guadarrama, Jr., F, New Hampshire
Antonio Rizzuto, Jr., G, UAlbany
Ben Shungu, Sr., G, Vermont
Stef Smith, Sr., G, Vermont

Third Team All-Conference
Zach Cooks, Sr., G, NJIT
Mouhamadou Gueye, Sr., F, Stony Brook
Brenton Mills, So., G, Binghamton
Juan Felix Rodriguez, Jr., G, Stony Brook
Austin Williams, Sr., G, Hartford

All-Defensive Team
Traci Carter, Gr., G, Hartford
Mouhamadou Gueye, Sr., F, Stony Brook
Antonio Rizzuto, Jr., G, UAlbany
Darnell Rogers, Sr., G, UMBC
Ben Shungu, Sr., G, Vermont

All-Rookie Team
Anthony Blunt, Fr., G, UMass Lowell
Max Brooks, Fr., F, Waldorf, UMass Lowell
Mekhi Gray, Fr., G, Montrose, NJIT
Nick Johnson, R-Fr., G, Bronx, New Hampshire
Blondeau Tchoukuiegno, R-Fr., G, New Hampshire

All-Academic Team
Stephane Ingo, Jr., Maine
Chris Lester, Gr., New Hampshire
Adam Lulka, Jr., UAlbany
Hunter Marks, Jr., Hartford
Dimitrije Spasojevic, Sr., UMBC

Several award winners will be in action when 2021 #AEPlayoffs get underway on Saturday. Complete tournament information can be found at Playoffs Central.

About America East: The America East provides its member schools and their athletic programs a platform upon which student-athletes can achieve both collegiate and life success through the promotion and nurturing of athletic excellence, academic achievement and leadership, on and off the field.

– #3Pillars – Building the Complete Student-Athlete –