BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of New England men's basketball team was rewarded for its historic regular season, as head coach Jason Mulligan and three players were honored by The Commonwealth Coast Conference as the all-conference teams and major award winners were released today (Feb. 23).  The official announcement was made by TCCC Commissioner Gregg Kaye late this afternoon.

Mulligan was chosen TCCC Coach of the Year, while senior Jaykyri Simpson (East Cleburne, Texas) was selected Defensive Player of the Year and first-year Quentin Thompson (Austin, Texas) was voted Rookie of the Year.  Simpson and senior Johnnie Jefferson (Dallas, Texas) were also named first team all-conference.

Mulligan was voted the league's top coach by his peers after leading the Nor'easters to a 21-4 regular-season record (12-1 TCCC) and the No. 1 seed for the upcoming TCCC Championship.  UNE is ranked ninth in the most recent NCAA Division III Northeast Region poll and is number one in the Maine Men's Basketball Coaches and Writers Association poll.  Currently in his second season at the helm of the UNE bench, Mulligan took over a team that posted a 5-20 record in 2006-07.  Last year under his watch, the Nor'easters recorded a 15-12 record and made it to the title game of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) New England Championship.

Simpson was voted the league's top defender after averaging 2.28 steals per game during the regular season -- fourth-best in the conference.  He helps lead a defense that forced 22.08 turnovers per game during the regular season and is currently coming up with 12.40 steals per contest.  Aside from his defensive skills, Simpson earned a first team all-conference selection thanks in part to averaging 12.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and a team-high 3.8 assists.  He is a repeat first team selection.

Thompson was selected the league's top rookie after averaging 11.4 points and a team-best 5.8 boards per game during the regular season.  He shot 36.9 percent (31 of 84) from beyond the arc and was credited with 50 steals.  

Jefferson paced the Nor'easters' high-scoring offense during the regular season, averaging 15.4 points while shooting 41.8 percent (66 of 158) from three-point territory and 87.8 percent (36 of 41) from the free throw line.  He was sixth in the league in three-pointers per game at 2.75.  Jefferson poured in a season-high 37 points on 15-for-19 shooting in a Jan. 24 win at Anna Maria College.

The Nor'easters will host No. 8 Western New England College when the TCCC Championship opens up tomorrow (Feb. 24) night.


2009 The Commonwealth Coast Conference 
All-Conference Teams and Award Winners

First Team All-Conference:

POS	Name	Institution	CL
G	Todd Doyle	Wentworth	SR
G/F	Johnnie Jefferson	UNE	SR
G	Jaykyri Simpson	UNE	SR
G	Aaron Trigg	Gordon	SR
G	Justin Woodworth	Salve Regina	SR

Second Team All-Conference:

POS	Name	Institution	CL
F	Matt Abbott	Wentworth	JR
G	Brady Bajema	Gordon	SR
F	Jon Chaloux	Colby-Sawyer	JR
G	Derrick Neal	Regis	SO
F	Duncan Szeliga	Colby-Sawyer	SR

Honorable Mention All-Conference:

POS	Name	Institution	CL
G	Billy Barrett	Roger Williams	SR
C	Patrick Flanagan	Roger Wiliams	FR
F	Kyle Fredette	WNEC	SR
G	Windell Hinkson	Salve Regina	SO
G	Quashed Simmons	Curry	SR
G	Graham Whitelaw	Endicott	JR

Player of the Year: Todd Doyle, Wentworth
Rookie of the Year: Quentin Thompson, UNE
Defensive Player of the Year: Jaykyri Simpson, UNE
Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Brad Bryant, Wentworth
Coach of the Year: Jason Mulligan, UNE
Team Sportsmanship Award: Eastern Nazarene