Megafu Named AD3I Rookie of the Year, Cocozello Coach of the Year as Four Bears Land on All-Independent Teams

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Freshman Michael Megafu (Brooklyn, NY/Nazareth Regional) was named the Association of Division III Independents (AD3I) Rookie of the Year and All-Independent First Team while teammate sophomore David Louison (Brooklyn, NY/St. Edmund Prep) was also named to the All-Independent First Team, in an announcement made by the Association releasing their 2013 All-Independent Teams.

Also honored were coach Joseph Cocozello who took home Coach of the Year honors while senior Jan Rogowski (Woodside, NY/St. John's Prep) and freshman Matt O'Neill (Brooklyn, NY/St. Edmund Prep) were named to the All-Independent Second Team.

Megafu had an impressive rookie campaign finishing the season averaging a double-double with 12.1 points and 11.0 rebounds per game (#10 in Div. III) also finishing with a team-high 15 double-doubles (#8 in Div. III). The freshman shot an efficient 54.9% from the field and was ranked in the top 30 in the nation, before falling just below the minimum five field goals made per game. The guard/forward recorded the first 30-point, 20-rebound game in Bears history finishing with 31 points and 20 rebounds in St. Joseph's win over rival St. Joseph's (L.I.). Megafu took home many awards during the season including being named USCAA Player of the Week, AD3I Player of the Week twice as well as receiving HVMAC top rookie honors three times.  

Cocozello receives his second straight Coach of the Year honor after also being named HVMAC Coach of the Year for the fifth time in his career. After producing just eight wins two seasons ago, Cocozello guided the Bears to their highest win total (16) and first appearance in the USCAA National Tournament since the 2006-07 season.   

Louison, last season's AD3I Rookie of the Year and All-Independent First Team selection had a solid sophomore season improving his scoring (13.5 ppg) and rebounding (11.5 rpg) output over last season and finished as the team's leader in both categories. The forward was named a USCAA First-Team All-American and was a four-time AD3I Player of the Week and AD3I Student-Athlete of the Month of November and February. Louison recorded 14 double-doubles (#18 in Div. III) on the season and 11.5 rebounds per game ranks #6 in the nation. The sophomore registered two 20-point, 20-rebound games and finished 23 of 29 games in 10+ points. Louison averaged 1.29 blocks per game (#115 in Div. III) and became the programs' all-time leading shot blocker in just two seasons.

Rogowski is selected to the All-Independent Second Team for the second time in his career. The senior finished his career on a high note averaging a team-high 14 points per game during the USCAA Tournament after missing the previous four games due to injury. The guard/forward was named to the HVMAC All-Conference Team after averaging 10.0 ppg and 4.1 rpg. Rogowski was one of St. Joseph's top perimeter threats making 41 treys at a 34 percent clip. The senior scored a season-high 20 points against Medgar Evers and had 12 games with double-digit points leading the team in scoring seven times.

O'Neill had a strong freshman season for the Bears averaging 8.9 ppg ranking him fourth on the team. The guard hit a team-high 42 trifectas and was named AD3I and HVMAC Player of the Week after scoring a career-high 27 points against Berkeley College. The freshman's 2.2 steals per game helped lead a St. Joseph's squad that ranked fifth in the nation in field goal percentage defense (37.1%). O'Neill nearly recorded a triple-double against The King's College finishing with 11 points, seven assists and eight steals. The guard scored 10+ points in 12 games this season with ten of those games coming once he entered the starting lineup against Staten Island.

The All-Independent Men's Basketball teams were selected by the men's basketball coaches from AD3I member schools.

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2013 ALL-INDEPENDENT MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Patrick Manifold, University of Maine-Presque Isle   
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Michael Megafu, St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn)   
COACH OF THE YEAR: Joseph Cocozello, St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn)