Senior guard Jamar Smith was honored as the 2008 MEAC Player of the Year.
RALEIGH, N.C. – The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) announced its 2008 all-conference teams Monday evening at the Tip-Off Banquet held at the North Hilton Raleigh Hotel. Morgan State's Jamar Smith earned the 2008 MEAC Player of the Year award, as voted by the league's head coaches and sports information directors. #Todd Bozeman#, also of Morgan State, was named the MEAC Coach of the Year, as voted on by his peers and Boubacar Coly was named as the 2008 MEAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Smith, the third best scorer in the MEAC, led his team in scoring all season averaging 17 points a game. A senior, he has also posted 10 double-digit scoring performances, three double-doubles and three games with 10 or more rebounds. He has started in 27 games this season, averaging over 30 minutes in each, and has tallied 35 assists, 17 blocked shots and 29 steals.
Todd Bozeman guided the Morgan State Bears to their best regular season finish with a 14-2 conference record and a 20-9 overall mark. In only his second year at the helm, Bozeman's Bears earned the school's first regular season championship and will enter tournament play as the number one seed.
Coly recorded an unprecedented nine Defensive Player of the Week honors this season, including six in a row. He led the MEAC in blocked shots and rebounds, both of which he ranked nationally. He also led the MEAC in double-doubles with six and has grabbed 10 or more rebounds in 17 games. As a senior, he finished the season averaging 9.6 points and 11.1 rebounds a game. He has also amassed 76 blocked shots.
Smith and Coly were joined on the 2008 MEAC First Team by Roy Bright (Delaware State), Tony Murphy (Norfolk State) and Tywain McKee (Coppin State).
The MEAC Second Team included Marquise Kately (Morgan State), Rashad West (Hampton), Steven Rush (North Carolina A&T), Ed Tyson (Maryland E. Shore), and Jason Johnson (South Carolina State).
The 2008 MEAC Rookie Team featured Bennett (SCSU), Thomas Coleman (North Carolina A&T), Mark Davis (Maryland E. Shore), Larry Jackson (Florida A&M), and Adam Walker (Howard).
The 2008 MEAC Basketball Tournament tips-off on Tuesday, March 11-15, at the RBC Center in Raleigh (NC). Howard will face Coppin State in the first men's match-up beginning at 6:30 p.m. followed by Bethune-Cookman versus South Carolina State at 9 p.m.
For MEAC Tournament information, log on to www.MEAChoops.com. For the latest on MEAC athletics, visit www.MEACsports.com.
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
2008 Men's Basketball All-Conference Teams
Coach of the Year: Todd Bozeman, Morgan State University
Player of the Year: Jamar Smith, Morgan State University
Defensive Player of the Year: Boubacar Coly, Morgan State University
Rookie of the Year: Carrio Bennett, South Carolina State
FIRST TEAM
Name/School/Pos/Ht./Wt./Cl./Hometown
Roy Bright/Delaware State/G/F/6-7/225/Jr./Durham, N.C.
Boubacar Coly/Morgan State/F/6-9/220/Sr./Zinguinchor, Senegal
Tony Murphy/Norfolk State/G/6-4/220/Jr./Paterson, NJ
Tywain McKee/Coppin State/G/6-2/182/Jr./Philadelphia, Pa.
Jamar Smith/Morgan State/G/6-3/210/Sr./Brooklyn Park, Minn.
SECOND TEAM
Name/School/Pos/Ht./Wt./Cl./Hometown
Jason Johnson/South Carolina St./F/C/6-7/220/Jr./Bronx, N.Y.
Marquise Kately/Morgan State/F/6-5/220/Jr./San Francisco, Calif.
Steven Rush/North Carolina A&T/G/5-11/170/Jr./Greensboro, N.C.
Ed Tyson/Maryland E. Shore/G/6-2/200/Jr./Baltimore, Md.
Rashad West/Hampton/G/6-1/175/Jr./Raleigh, N.C.
ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Name/School/Pos/Ht./Wt./Hometown
Carrio Bennett/South Carolina St./G/6-1/155/Piedmont, S.C.
Thomas Coleman/North Carolina A&T/F/C/6-9/220/Louisville, Ky.
Mark Davis/Maryland E. Shore/G/5-10/175/Baltimore, Md.
Larry Jackson/Florida A&M/F/6-6/215/Chattahoochee, Fla.
Adam Walker/Howard/F/6-8/205/New York, N.Y.
