Coastal Athletic Association Men's Basketball Player of the Year

CAA Men's Basketball
Player of the Year
Awarded forthe most outstanding basketball player in the Coastal Athletic Association
CountryUnited States
History
First award1983
Most recentTyler Thomas, Hofstra

The Coastal Athletic Association Men's Basketball Player of the Year (formerly the Colonial Athletic Association Men's Basketball Player of the Year) is an award given to the Coastal Athletic Association's most outstanding player. The award was first given following the 1982–83 season, when the conference was known as the ECAC South basketball league.[1] In 1985, the conference expanded to offer more sports, and became the Colonial Athletic Association.[2] The conference name was changed to Coastal Athletic Association in 2023.[3]

The first award, the only tie, was given to Dan Ruland of James Madison and Carlos Yates of George Mason.[4] Two players have won the award three times: David Robinson of Navy (1984–1986) and George Evans of George Mason (1999–2001).[5][6] Evans' first award in 1999 was as a 28-year-old sophomore—he had served seven years in the United States Army, seeing combat in Somalia, Bosnia, and Desert Storm.[6] Eight other players have been the CAA POY twice, with Hofstra's Aaron Estrada being the most recent (2022, 2023).

Hofstra has the most all-time awards with nine and most individual recipients with six. Since July 2022, it is the only one of the five schools with the most awards to still be in the conference. George Mason (six winners) left for the Atlantic 10 in 2013. James Madison, Old Dominion and VCU have each had four winners; James Madison left for the Sun Belt Conference in 2022, Old Dominion left for Conference USA in 2013, and VCU left for the A-10 in 2012. Navy's three wins by Robinson were won while the team was a conference member for just nine years. Another charter member, Richmond, won three awards before leaving the conference in 2001. Other original members to leave, American and East Carolina, each have one recipient. Of the conference's current members, William & Mary went the longest without its first winner. In 2015, 32 years after the award was first handed out, Marcus Thornton claimed William & Mary's first ever honor.

  1. ^ Parks, Kyle (April 11, 1982). "ODU's move angers ECAC South brass". The News & Advance. Lynchburg, Virginia. p. 30. Retrieved September 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ Hessler, Warner (June 5, 1985). "ECAC-South: Game's same, but not the name". Daily Press. Newport News, Virginia. p. 21. Retrieved September 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "So long Colonial Athletic Association, hello Coastal Athletic Association". The Roanoke Times. Roanoke, Virginia. July 21, 2023. p. B2. Retrieved September 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Ruland, Yates tops ECAC-South". Danville Register & Bee. Danville, Virginia. March 10, 1983. p. 38. Retrieved November 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ O'Connor, John (January 10, 1995). "For its 10th anniversary, CAA seeks a dream team". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Richmond, Virginia. p. 8. Retrieved September 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b O'Connor, John (March 3, 2001). "3 times, for Evans' sake". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Richmond, Virginia. p. 37. Retrieved September 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.