BOSTON - For the just the third time in America East history, a player earned his third Kevin Roberson Player of the Year award as Stony Brook’s Jameel Warney was a unanimous selection for the conference’s top honor in men’s basketball. The conference’s 2015-16 major awards and all-conference teams presented by Under Armour were announced Monday via an awards show on AmericaEast.TV.
Warney also repeated as Defensive Player of the Year, the second-straight year he has taken home both awards. Joining him as a major award winner was Albany’s Joe Cremo, who earned both Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year accolades. Stony Brook head coach Steve Pikiell was voted Coach of the Year for the fourth time.
Award winners were nominated by their own coaches and voted on by the conference’s head coaches, who could not vote for their own team.
Player & Defensive Player of the Year
Jameel Warney, Sr., Forward, Stony Brook
- Third standout to win three America East Player of the Year awards joining legendary fellow big men Reggie Lewis and Taylor Coppenrath.
- Joins Vermont’s Marqus Blakely as only players to win both Player and Defensive Player of Year honors in consecutive seasons.
- Ranks second in the league in scoring (18.7 ppg) and is the league leader in rebounding (10.2 rpg), field goal percentage (.627) and blocked shots (3.2 bpg).
- Ranks third in the nation in blocks.
- His 6.1 defensive rebounds per game are the second most in the conference.
- Became just the third player in conference history to reach the 2,000-point and 1,000 rebound milestones this season.
- Won six Player of the Week awards this season and became the conference’s all-time leader with 16 for his career.
- Helped Stony Brook win the America East regular-season title.
Rookie & Sixth Man of the Year
Joe Cremo, Fr., Guard, Albany
- Just the third Great Dane to be named Rookie of the Year and first since Jon Iati in 2004.
- First player to earn both Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year Awards in the same season.
- Averaged 10.5 points (25th among league leaders) and 3.7 rebounds per game.
- Came off the bench in every contest and averaged 20.8 minutes per game.
- Ranks ninth overall and tops among guards shooting 52.1 percent from the floor.
- Third best free throw shooter in league, hitting 85.8 percent of his attempts.
- Was a three-time America East Rookie of the Week.
- Helped Albany win a Division I program-best 24 regular-season games.
Coach of the Year
Steve Pikiell, Stony Brook, 11th season
- Named Coach of the Year for the fourth time, all in the last seven years.
- Joins Bill Herrion as the only coaches to win four America East Coach of the Year awards.
- Led Stony Brook to its fourth America East regular season title since 2010.
- The Seawolves went 14-2 in conference play and became the first team to start 13-0 since Vermont’s 2005 squad.
- Stony Brook reached the 20-win mark for the fifth time in the last six years and had an 18-game win streak during the season.
- Pikiell’s squad ranks 11th in the country in scoring margin (+13.1) and 12th in scoring defense, allowing just 62.6 ppg.
First-Team All-Conference
Evan Singletary, Sr., G, Albany – second-straight 1st team selection, 10th among scoring leaders (13.0 ppg), 8th in assists (2.9 apg) and 8th in steals (1.2 spg)
Ray Sanders, Sr., G, Albany – 12.0 ppg (13th in AE) and 4.3 rpg, 3rd team selection last year.
Tanner Leissner, So., F, New Hampshire – 15.6 ppg (3rd in AE) and 6.9 rpg (5th in AE), 1st Wildcat to earn 1st team honors in 11 seasons
Carson Puriefoy, Sr., G, Stony Brook – 14.5 ppg (6th in AE), 3.1 apg (7th in AE), 71 3pt FGs (4th in AE)
Jameel Warney, Sr., F, Stony Brook – Third-straight 1st team selection, Unanimous choice, 12th player to earn All-Conference honors all four years (2nd team as freshman)
Second-Team All-Conference
Pancake Thomas, Jr., G, Hartford – Averaging conference-best 19.0 points per game, Only player in league ranked in top 10 in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals.
Jairus Lyles, So., G, UMBC – League leader in scoring in conference play (22.1 ppg)
Jahad Thomas, So., F, UMass Lowell – Top 10 in both scoring (14.2 ppg – 7th) and rebounding (7.4 rpg – 3rd), 3rd in FG percentage (.586)
Jaleen Smith, Jr., G, New Hampshire – 8th in scoring (13.2 ppg), 6th in assists (3.3 apg), league leader in FT percentage (.889)
Rayshaun McGrew, Sr., F, Stony Brook – 11.3 ppg (17th in AE), 6.2 rpg (11th in AE), .524 FG percentage (8th in AE)
Third-Team All-Conference
Peter Hooley, Sr., G, Albany – Contributed 12.6 ppg (11th in AE), third-straight All-Conference selection
Willie Rodriguez, So., G, Binghamton – 4th in league in (15.0 ppg) and 7th in rebounding (6.7 rpg)
Trae Bell-Haynes, So., G, Vermont – 5th in assists (3.4 apg), 14th in scoring (11.7 ppg)
Ethan O’Day, Sr., F, Vermont – 11.4 ppg (15th in AE), 6.0 rpg (10th in AE) and 2.0 bpg (2nd in AE)
Kurt Steidl, Jr., F, Vermont – 11.0 ppg (20th in AE) and 5.0 rpg (15th in AE)
All-Defensive Team
Ray Sanders, Jr., G, Albany - First-team all-conference, 2nd in steals (1.6 spg), Repeat All-Defensive selection, Unanimous choice
Rayshaun McGrew, Sr., F, Stony Brook – Averages 4.3 defensive boards per game, SBU leads league in scoring defense and FG percentage defense.
Ahmad Walker, Jr., G, Stony Brook – 5th in league in defensive rebounding (5.3 pg), SBU leads league in scoring defense and FG percentage defense.
Jameel Warney, Sr., F, Stony Brook – Defensive Player of the Year, Unanimous All-Defensive choice, third career selection
Dre Wills, Jr., G, Vermont – One of top perimeter defenders in league, Repeat selection
All-Rookie Team
Joe Cremo, Fr., G, Albany – Rookie of the Year, Unanimous All-Rookie choice
Issac Vann, Fr., F, Maine – 6th-leading scorer in conference games (15.8 ppg), Unanimous All-Rookie choice, 2-time AE Rookie of Week
Joe Sherburne, Fr., F, UMBC – Averaged 10.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game
Isaac White, So., G, UMass Lowell - Best scoring average among AE qualifiers (11.5 ppg), 2-time AE Rookie of Week
Ernie Duncan, R-Fr., Vermont – 11.2 ppg, 3rd in AE in 3-point FG percentage (.430), 68 made 3-point FGs, 2-time AE Rookie of Week
All-Academic Team
Dallas Ennema, Jr., Albany – repeat All-Academic selection
Peter Hooley, Sr., Albany - Third-team all-conference, CoSIDA Academic All-District, three-time All-Academic selection
Mike Rowley, Jr., Albany – First-time selection, 2015 AE Elite 18 Award winner, 9th in rebounding
Mark Cornelius, Sr., UMass Lowell – First-time selection, 9th in FG percentage in conference games
Bryan Sekunda, So., Stony Brook – First-time selection, 9th in 3-point FG percentage