Ryan, Iton, Cook and Fisher Coaching Staff Take Top Honors
The Empire 8 Athletic Conference has announced the Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Coaching Staff of the Year awards for the 2016-17 men’s basketball season. The conference coaches vote on the awards and all-conference teams.
This is the first year the E8 has honored a separate Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year.
The Offensive Player of the Year award goes to St. John Fisher College’s
Keegan Ryan. Ryan, the 2014-15 Player of the Year, is the third Cardinal to earn a yearly player honor. Previous recipients were Jeff Sidney (2005) and Sean O’Brien (2006). Ryan led the conference in field goal percentage shooting 61.7% (158-of-256), free throws made (163) and offensive rebounds per game (3.4). Among Division III players his free throws made ranks eighth, while his field goal percentage ranks 23rd and his offensive rebounds per games ranks 50th. Ryan started all 25 games in the regular season and currently averages 19.2 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. He finished in double figures in 24 games and had 11 double-doubles.
Utica junior
Ivan Iton was voted the Defensive Player of the Year. He is the second Utica player to earn a Player of the Year award and joins 2007 recipient Ray Bryant. Ivan started all 25 games to date and averaged 17.1 points and 9.9 rebounds. His 9.9 rebounds led the conference and ranks 45
th in Division III. Ivon also leads the league with 57 blocks and 2.28 blocks per game which both rank 26 in Division III.
Stevens Institute of Technology freshman
Spencer Cook was named the Rookie of the Year. He is the first Stevens player to earn the honor in the history of the E8. Cook played in 20 of a possible 25 games and averaged 13.2 points and three rebounds. He reached double figures in 13 games including a season high of 27 points and shot 45.3% from the field, 43.9% from three point range and 82.9% from the free throw line.
St. John Fisher College was named the Coaching Staff of the Year for the third straight season. The Cardinals, led by head coach Rob Kornaker, are currently receiving votes in the latest D3hoops.com poll. Fisher finished the regular season with a 20-5 record and a 15-1 mark in conference play and will host the E8 Championship this weekend for the third straight year. The 20 wins marks the 16th time in the program's 54-year history the Cardinals have won 20 or more games in a season. The Cardinals lead the Empire 8 in field goal percentage (47.2%), rebounding offense (40.0), rebounding defense (30.5), rebounding margin (9.5), while ranking second in 3-point field goal percentage defense (27.9%) and scoring defense (72.7).
One member of each team was named that institution’s representative on the 2016-17 Men’s Basketball Sportsman of the Year Team. Empire 8 emphasizes that "Competing with Honor and Integrity" is an essential component of a student-athlete’s experience in conjunction with an institution’s educational mission. These honorees have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportsmen.
Empire 8 2016-17 Men’s Basketball All-Conference Teams
Offensive Player of the Year: Keegan Ryan, St. John Fisher College
Defensive Player of the Year: Ivan Iton, Utica College
Rookie of the Year: Spencer Cook, Stevens Institute of Technology
Coaching Staff of the Year: St. John Fisher College