|
Rowan University senior
forward Matt Byrnes has been named the New Jersey Athletic Conference
“Pony Wilson” Men’s Basketball Player of the Year for the 2007-08 season.
A four-time NJAC and two-time ECAC Player of the Week selection during the
2007-08 season, Byrnes currently leads the NJAC and ranks 23rd
in NCAA Division III in scoring with an average of 21.6 points per game. A
three-time all-conference selection, he currently ranks in the Top Five in
four NJAC statistical categories including scoring (1st, 21.6
points per game); free throw percentage (1st, .828); minutes
played (1st, 35.60 per game); and three-point field goals made
per game (3rd, 2.44). Against NJAC competition, he ranks first
in both scoring (18.7 points per game) and minutes played (35.46 per
game). The selection of Byrnes marks the second consecutive year that a
Prof has garnered the league’s Player of the Year honor, as Rowan’s Thomas
Baker earned the selection during the 2006-07 season.
William Paterson sophomore forward Abdoulaye Ouedraogo was selected as the
league’s Defensive Player of the Year. A Week 5 Player of the Week
selection, he currently leads the conference in both rebounding (9.1
boards per game) and blocks (2.33 per game). In addition, he ranks among
the league leaders in both field goal percentage (5th, .515)
and scoring (20th, 10.8 points per game). Oudedraogo’s 2.33
blocks and 9.1 rebounds per game currently rank 14th and 48th
respectively in the NCAA Division III national statistics.
Montclair State University freshman guard James Williams was tapped as the
conference Rookie of the Year. A four-time NJAC Rookie of the Week
selection, he currently ranks ninth in the conference in scoring (13.3
points per game); fifth in the league in free throw percentage (.771); and
15th in the NJAC in field goal percentage (.463).
Montclair State University head coach Ted Fiore was named the “John
K. Adams” Coach of the Year by his peers. Selected to finish fifth in the
NJAC North Division in a preseason poll of league coaches, he guided the
Red Hawks to a third place finish in the North Division and their first
NJAC Tournament appearance in three seasons. MSU, an 83-72 road winner
over Rowan in the first round of the NJAC Tournament, will travel to face
William Paterson in the NJAC semifinals. Fiore has accumulated an overall
collegiate coaching record of 301-206, including a mark of 150-96 in 10
seasons at the helm of the Red Hawk program.
|