Louison, Megafu and O'Neill Named All-Independent, Cocozello Awarded AD3I Co-Coach of the Year
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – After leading the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) men's basketball team to their second consecutive 18-win season, senior David Louison (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) and junior Michael Megafu (Brooklyn, N.Y./Nazareth Regional) were named to the Association of Division III Independents (AD3I) All-Independent First Team while junior Matt O'Neill (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) was awarded All-Independent Second Team and head coach Joseph Cocozello took home Co-Coach of the Year honors.
Louison, the AD3I Co-Player of the Year alongside Megafu in 2014 and Rookie of the Year in 2012, adds to his list of AD3I accolades and is now a four-time member of the All-Independent First Team. The senior continues to rack up the awards following his final season, also being named to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) All-American First Team and Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (HVIAC) All-Conference Team this year.
Louison led the AD3I in rebounding (11.4 rpg) and ranked second in scoring (16.6 ppg), leading the Bears in both categories. The senior collected three AD3I Player of the Week awards along the way, totaling 16 in his career.
To cap off his outstanding career, Louison will represent St. Joseph's in the Reese's NABC Division III All-Star Game on March 21 prior to the NCAA® DIII Men's Basketball Championship game at the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Virginia.
Megafu, the AD3I Co-Player of the Year in 2014 and Rookie of the Year in 2013, receives the First Team honor for the third time. The forward was also recently named to the HVIAC All-Conference Team and the USCAA All-American Second Team for his standout junior campaign.
Megafu, the one-time AD3I Player of the Week, ranked fourth in the AD3I in scoring (15.7 ppg) and second behind Louison in rebounding (10.0 rpg). His efficient 59.8 shooting percentage led the conference.
O'Neill is a first-time recipient of the All-Independent Second Team honor following a breakout junior season. The guard led the Bears and the AD3I in assists (4.6 apg) and steals (3.2 spg). His 13.3 points per contest ranked third on the team and ninth in the conference.
Alongside Louison and Megafu, O'Neill was also named to the HVIAC All-Conference team. The junior collected one AD3I Player of the Week this season and was also named to the All-Tournament Team for his standout performance in the Connecticut College/Coast Guard Invitational.
After amassing 52 victories in his last three seasons, head coach Joseph Cocozello was honored with the AD3I Coach of the Year for the third straight year and fourth time in his career. Cocozello was also named the HVIAC Coach of the Year after leading the Bears to an 18-10 finish this season.
The All-Independent Men's Basketball teams were selected by the men's basketball
coaches from AD3I member schools.
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2015 ALL-INDEPENDENT MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Trey Bardsley, Nebraska Wesleyan University
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Kevin Collins, University of Maine-Presque Isle
CO-COACHES OF THE YEAR: Joseph Cocozello, St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) and Dale Wellman, Nebraska Wesleyan University
FIRST TEAM ALL-INDEPENDENT |
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NAME | SCHOOL | YEAR | POS | HOMETOWN |
Trey Bardsley | Nebraska Wesleyan University | Jr. | G | Beatrice, Neb. |
David Louison | St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) | Sr. | F | Brooklyn, N.Y. |
Michael Megafu | St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) | Jr. | F | Jamaica, N.Y. |
Jared Ponce | University of California, Santa Cruz | Jr. | G | Chino Hills, Calif. |
Travis Giesselmann | Nebraska Wesleyan University | Jr. | F | Elkhorn, Maine |
Chase Vicaire | University of Maine-Presque Isle | Jr. | G | Mattawamkeag, Maine |
Brady Moses | Maranatha Baptist University | So. | G | Lodi, Wis. |
SECOND TEAM ALL-INDEPENDENT |
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NAME | SCHOOL | YEAR | POS | HOMETOWN |
Brett Cashner | Maranatha Baptist University | Sr. | C | Urbana, Ill. |
James Townsend | University of California, Santa Cruz | Sr. | F | Sacramento, Calif. |
Matt O'Neill | St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) | Jr. | G | Brooklyn, N.Y. |
David Wenthold | Maranatha Baptist University | So. | G | Atkinson, Ill. |
Kevin Collins | University of Maine-Presque Isle | Fr. | G | Oxen Hill, Md. |
HONORABLE MENTION |
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NAME | SCHOOL | YEAR | POS | HOMETOWN |
Byron Thompson | Nebraska Wesleyan University | Sr. | G | Centennial, Colo. |
Keithan Karn | Nebraska Wesleyan University | Jr. | G | Elkhorn, Neb. |
Nick Lenhard | University of Maine-Presque Isle | So. | G | Falcon, Colo. |
Maurice Harris | University of Maine-Presque Isle | Fr. | F | Miami, Fla. |
Clayton Morrison | Maranatha Baptist University | So. | G | Jefferson, Wis. |