On the night before their first game of the America East Men’s Basketball Championship against Binghamton University, some of the Stony Brook Seawolves received awards for their performances throughout their most recent campaign to go along with the regular-season championship that they already won with their season-finale victory over the University of Maine.
Head coach Steve Pikiell picked up America East Coach of the Year honors for the second time in three years, while junior Tommy Brenton was named the conference Defensive Player of the Year. Brenton and senior Bryan Dougher were both named to the first-team all-conference, while senior Dallis Joyner was placed on the third-team.
“I’m truly excited,” Pikiell said. “I want to thank the America East Conference. The coaches can flat-out coach in this league. It’s a tough place to play. I want to congratulate the players; they make this league great. I’m really excited about this weekend.”
This year, Pikiell led Stony Brook to its second 20-win season and regular season championship in three years. His squad was the first team to have at least a share of first place in the conference for the entire conference schedule.
Dougher and Brenton’s first-team placements marked the first time in school history that it has had two student-athletes on the first team.
“It’s exciting,” Dougher said. “I’ve been here for four years, and this is the first time that I’ve been on the first team. I’m excited for everbody.”
Joyner was also awarded with a spot on the All-Conference Third Team.
“I’m glad to be here with my guys, Bryan and Tommy,” he said. “It’s been a long time coming. I didn’t make any rookie teams, so I’m glad to be here.”
Brenton was also placed on the All-Conference Defensive Team. He is the first Seawolf to win the Defensive Player of the Year award. This comes after he missed the whole of last season with a knee injury.
“This is a great honor for me,” he said after receiving his Defensive Player of the Year award. “To come this far in a year is an honor. This award has a lot more to do with my coach and teammates than it has to do with me.”
If anyone was as thrilled for the awards that the players received as the players themselves, it was Pikiell, who consistently said that the players were the focus of the evening and of the tournament in general.
“I’m excited for my guys,” Pikiell said after the ceremony. “It’s nice for the coaches to recognize the job that I did, but it’s all about the players.”
