The 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.  Carrio Bennett of South Carolina State was named as the 2008 MEAC Rookie 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.

Bennett was a four time MEAC Rookie of the Week honoree.  The 6-foot-1 guard averaged 9.5 points and 3.6 rebounds per game during his freshman season.  He also recorded 86 assists and 25 steals.  A solid 3-point shooter, Bennett posted a 35 percent shooting average from behind the arc. 

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 was joined on the 2008 MEAC First Team by Roy Bright (Delaware State), Tony Murphy (Norfolk State), Boubacar Coly (Morgan State) and Tywain McKee (Coppin State). 

The MEAC Second Team included Rashad West (Hampton), Steven Rush (North Carolina A&T), Ed Tyson (Maryland E. Shore), Marquise Kately (Morgan State) 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).

Coach of the Year:  Todd Bozeman, Morgan State University
Player of the Year:  Jamar Smith, Morgan State University
Rookie of the Year: Carrio Bennett, South Carolina State
Defensive Player of the Year: Boubacar Coly, Morgan State University

 

FIRST TEAM
Name	School	Pos	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	Hometown
Roy Bright	DSU	G/F	6-7	225	Jr.	Durham, NC
Boubacar Coly	MSU	F	6-9	220	Sr.	Zinguinchor, Senegal
Tony Murphy	NSU	G	6-4	220	Jr.	Patterson, NJ
Tywain McKee	CSU	G	6-2	182	Jr.	Philadelphia, Pa.
Jamar Smith	MSU	G	6-3	210	Sr.	Brooklyn  Park, Minn.

 

SECOND TEAM
Name	School	Pos	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	Hometown
Jason Johnson	SCSU	F/C	6-7	220	Jr.	Bronx, N.Y.
Marquise Kately	MSU	F	6-5	220	Jr.	San Francisco, Calif.
Steven Rush	NCAT	G	5-11	170	Jr.	Greensboro, N.C,
Ed Tyson	UMES	G	6-2	200	Jr.	Baltimore, Md.
Rashad West	HAM	G	6-1	175	Jr.	Raleigh, N.C.
Jamar Smith	MSU	G	6-3	210	Sr.	Park, Minn.

All-Rookie Team
Name	School	Pos	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown
Carrio Bennett	SCSU	G	6-1	155	Piedmont, S.C.
Thomas Coleman	MSU	F	6-5	220	San Francisco, Calif.
Steven Rush	NCAT	G	5-11	170	Greensboro, N.C,
Ed Tyson	UMES	G	6-2	200	Baltimore, Md.
Rashad West	HAM	G	6-1	175	Raleigh, N.C.
Jamar Smith	MSU	G	6-3	210	Park, Minn.

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.

 

 

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