Vermont's Sullivan Tabbed Kevin Roberson Player of Year to Headline 2022-23 Men's #AEHoops Award Winners

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BOSTON – For the seventh-straight year, a Vermont Catamount is the America East men’s basketball Kevin Roberson Player of the Year. Finn Sullivan earned the league’s top honor after leading UVM to its seventh-straight #AEHoops regular-season title, highlighting the 2022-23 award winners announced on Friday morning.

Sullivan paced the six major award winners and was joined by his teammate Aaron Deloney, who claimed Sixth Man of the Year for the second-straight season. Four more schools were also represented, as Maine’s Kellen Tynes earned Defensive Player of the Year accolades, Bryant’s Sheriff Gross-Bullock picked up Newcomer of the Year recognition, UAlbany’s Jonathan Beagle was named Rookie of the Year and UMass Lowell’s Pat Duquette garnered Coach of the Year honors.

All of the conference’s 2022-23 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

Kevin Roberson Player of the Year
Finn Sullivan, Sr., Forward, Vermont

Seventh-straight Catamount to earn the award and 15^th all-time.
Ranked fourth in scoring league play and led the conference in three-pointers per game (2.8).
Averaged 15.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game in conference play.
Named AE Co-Player of the Week on Feb. 13.
Also a first-team All-Conference selection.

Defensive Player of the Year
Kellen Tynes, So., Guard, Maine

First Black Bear to be named Defensive Player of the Year and first Maine player to earn a men’s basketball major award since Francois Bouchard earned Rookie of the Year honors in 1991.
Leads the country in steals per game at 3.3 per contest.
His 95 swipes are the second most in conference history.
Helped Maine rank third in the league in points allowed per game during the league season.
Also an All-Defensive team and third-team All-Conference choice.

Newcomer of the Year
Sherif Gross-Bullock, Sr., Guard, Bryant

He’s the America East inaugural Newcomer of the Year, given to a player who is in his first year in the conference (transfer or freshman).
League’s leading scorer at 17.6 points per game.
Upped that average to 18.9 points per game in league play.
Named America East Player of the Week three times this season.
Also a first-team All-Conference honoree.

Sixth Man of the Year
Aaron Deloney, Sr., Guard, Vermont

First player to win the award in consecutive seasons and just the second to win it for a second time.
Sixth Catamount to win the award in its 10-year existence.
Third on the team and in the league’s top 25 averaging 11.3 points per game in 23 minutes per game off the bench.
Shooting 40 percent from three-point land and has made 58 treys on the season.

Rookie of the Year
Jonathan Beagle, Fr., Forward, UAlbany

Second-straight Great Danes to earn Rookie of the Year honors and just the fifth ever, joining Justin Neely, Jamar Wilson, Jon Iati, and Joe Cremo.
Averaged 12.4 points and ranked fifth in rebounding with 7.4 per game.
One of just six players in the league to shoot over 50 percent from the floor (.505).
Was named #AEHoops Rookie of the Week a league-high nine times, the second-most in league history.
Highlighted the All-Rookie team as one of five selections.

Coach of the Year
Pat Duquette, UMass Lowell – 10^th Season

Earned Coach of the Year honors for the first time after leading UMass Lowell to a historic season.
The River Hawks set Division I program records for wins (24) and conference wins (11).
The No. 2 seed for the #AEPlayoffs is UMass Lowell’s highest ever.
UML leads the league in scoring margin (+12.3) and is first in scoring defense and second in scoring offense.
The River Hawks (24-7) have won seven of their last eight overall and are a perfect 15-0 at home this season.

Vermont, Bryant, and UMass Lowell led the way with three All-Conference choices apiece while UMass Lowell, Maine, and UNH each had two. Binghamton and UMBC had a single honoree. Tynes led the All-Defensive team while Beagle paced the five-man All-Rookie team. Juozapaitis headlined the All-Academic team as the lone All-Conference member on the squad.

All major award winners and the majority of All-Conference honorees will be in action on Sunday for the #AEPlayoffs quarterfinals. Complete tournament information can be found at americaeast.com/mbbplayoffs.

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