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Division I Conference Awards Roundup

03/09/2017, 11:45am EST
By Will Slover

Jalen Brunson (above) is one of 13 area D-I players who took home All-Conference honors this year. (Photo: Mark Jordan/CoBL)

Will Slover (@WillSlover31)
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A number of players for local colleges turned in spectacular performances this season and their efforts were noted, as 13 young men who play for colleges in the area were put on their respective conference’s postseason awards list at the conclusion of regular season play.

Mikal Bridges (Villanova/RS-Soph.)
The 6-foot-7 Bridges was a force on the defensive end of the ball all season long for Villanova. The wiry Bridges used his 7-foot-1 wingspan to rank fourth in the Big East in steals per game with 1.9 and also ranked sixth in the conference in blocks with 28 on the season. Bridges’ stout defensive effort this season helped Villanova boast one of the Big East’s most formidable defensive fronts as they allowed opponents to score just 63.1 points per game and shoot just 41.7 percent from the floor. Bridges’ stellar defensive season earned the Great Valley (Pa.) graduate Big East Co-Defensive Player of the Year Honors.

A.J. Brodeur (Penn/Fr.)
Brodeur put together quite a memorable freshman season for the Quakers, as his numbers could have garnered him Rookie of the Year honors in the Ivy, but instead the 6-foot-8 forward was named to Second Team All-Ivy League. The Northborough (Mass.) native averaged 13.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 1.9 assists per contest this season and was a huge part of why the Quakers will be playing in the first ever Ivy League postseason tournament this weekend. Brodeur’s stellar freshman campaign was highlighted by a 35-point, six-rebound performance on 14-of-19 shooting including going 3-of-4 beyond the arc in a win over La Salle back on January 25.

Charlie Brown (St. Joseph’s/Fr.)
Once Shavar Newkirk and Lamarr Kimble went down with injuries with St. Joe’s, Brown became the Hawks’ top option on the offensive end and the freshman responded. The 6-foot-6 forward scored in double-digits in 21 of St. Joe’s last 22 games and turned in season averages of 12.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per contest. Brown’s offensive prowess earned the St. Thomas More (Conn.) graduate and Philadelphia native a spot on the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team. Brown’s solid first season in Crimson and White was highlighted by a 22-point, eight-rebound performance in the only game of the year that Brown didn’t start, a double-overtime loss to Fordham on February 4. 

Jalen Brunson (Villanova/Soph.)
After turning in a solid freshman campaign where he started every game on the Main Line and helped bring home a National Championship trophy, Brunson’s sophomore season was even more impressive. The 6-foot-2 guard averaged 14.8 points per contests and also ranked second in the conference with 4.3 assists per game. The Lincolnshire, Ill. native also led all Big East guards in shooting percentage as he shot 53.6 percent from the field. On top of being the floor general for Villanova, who brought home another Big East regular season title this season, he was also a unanimous pick for First Team All-Big East. 


Tony Carr (above) earned Big 10 All-Rookie honors after averaging 13.1 ppg and 4.3 apg. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

Tony Carr (Penn State/Fr.)
After putting together an impressive high-school career at Roman Catholic (Pa.), the best was still in store for Carr. In his first season in Happy Valley, Carr was the Nittany Lions’ starting point guard from day one and didn’t disappoint. The 6-foot-3 Carr averaged 13.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game and made his way onto the Big 10 All-Rookie team. Although he scored 20 or more points seven times on the season, the argument can be made that the best performance of Carr’s freshman campaign was an 11-point, 10-rebound, eight-assists near triple-double showing in a win over Morgan State on December 21. 

Ryan Daly (Delaware/Fr.)
Following a senior season at Archbishop Carroll (Pa.) where he took home the Philadelphia Catholic League MVP award, Daly finds himself taking home some more hardware after an impressive first season for the Blue Hens. Ranking sixth in the conference with 16.0 points per contests and fifth with 7.4 rebounds per game, the 6-foot-4 guard was named CAA Rookie of the Year as well as being named to the All-Rookie team and Third Team All-CAA. After a slow start to the year, Daly finished on a strong note as he reached double figures in scoring in 23 of Delaware’s final 25 games and also put together six double-double performances on the year. 

Donte DiVincenzo (Villanova/RS-Fr.)
Following a redshirt season in his first season on campus, DiVincenzo’s first season wearing the blue and white was a special one. Playing the sixth man role for the Wildcats all season, the 6-foot-4 guard averaged 24.9 minutes per contest in his rookie campaign, and he made those minutes count. The Salesianum (Del.) graduate averaged 7.8 points per contest, reeled in 3.2 rebounds and dished out 1.6 assists for Villanova this season, good enough to earn him a spot on the Big East All-Rookie Team. 

Josh Hart (Villanova/Sr.)
One of the Villanova all-time greats, as he is one of two players to score 1,800 points, grab 700 rebounds, dish out 250 assists and come up with 150 steals in a Villanova uniform, Hart’s senior season was absolutely incredible. The 6-foot-5 Hart leads the Big East in scoring with 18.6 points per game, ranks fourth in the conference with 6.5 rebounds per game, dishes out 3.2 assists per game, and ranks sixth in the conference with 1.5 per game. While these numbers have Hart in the midst of the running for Naismith Player of the Year, they have already earned the Silver Spring, Md. native First Team All-Big East, Big East Co-Defensive Player of the Year and Big East Player of the Year honors.

Matt Howard (Penn/Sr.)
The 6-foot-4 guard was Penn’s go-to guy all season long as he turned in season averages of 12.4 points per game and 6.8 rebounds per contest. Howard’s stellar senior season earned the Columbia (S.C.) native a spot on the Ivy League Honorable Mention and he was also a key component to Penn’s postseason run as he turned in a career-high 24 points and 12 rebounds in the Quakers’ March 4 win over Harvard to clinch a spot in the Ivy League tournament. 

Kris Jenkins (Villanova/Sr.)
Jenkins made sure his final go around in a Villanova uniform was a good one, as the season-long consistency from the 6-foot-6 forward earned him a spot on the Big East Honorable Mention list. Turning in season averages of 13.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, Jenkins’ senior campaign was highlighted by an impressive 22-point performance on 8-of-10 shooting including going 5-of-6 from beyond the arc while also adding in four rebounds in a win over Seton Hall on February 18. 


Kurk Lee Jr. (above) looks like he'll hold down the starting point guard job for Drexel for the next three years. (Photo: Mark Jordan/CoBL)

Kurk Lee (Drexel/Fr.)
The 5-foot-10 Lee was given the keys to the kingdom immediately upon arriving to campus and he responded. Ranking tenth in the CAA with 14.9 points per contest and reaching double figures in all but four of Drexel’s 32 contests this season, along with ranking fourth in the conference with 5.0 assists per game, third with 1.6 steals per game and also reeling in 3.9 rebounds per contest, the Baltimore, Md. native found himself on the CAA All-Rookie Team after his impressive freshman campaign.

Quinton Rose (Temple/Fr.)
Assuming the role of sixth man upon his arrival at Temple, Rose thrived in that role so much that he was named to the American Athletic Conference All-Rookie Team. Averaging 10.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists on the season along with ranking fifth in the AAC with 1.5 steals per contests, the 6-foot-8 Rose was one of Temple’s most consistent performers all season long. Rose’s best performance of the season came back on November 24 when he cashed in for 26 points while reeling in six rebounds and dishing out four assists in a win over No. 16 Florida State. 

Rodney Wiliams (Drexel/Sr.)
A staple in the Drexel rotation since his freshman season, the 6-foot-7 Williams turned in his best season in a Dragons’ uniform in his final go around. Ranking ninth in the conference with 15.6 points per contest and seventh with 6.8 rebounds per game while shooting 52.6 percent from the field, which ranked fourth in the CAA, Williams earned himself a spot on the Third Team All-Colonial Athletic Association. Williams’ impressive senior season was highlighted by five double-double performances in the blue and gold.

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