HADLEY, Mass. – The New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) announced its men's basketball awards for the 2023-24 season on Thursday.

David Murray of Conn. College is the NESCAC Player of the Year as voted by the conference's coach. Murray is the first player in program history to earn the honor after helping the Camels secure the No. 3 seed in the NESCAC Tournament and host a quarterfinal game for the first time since 2002. Murray led Conn. College and was among the top five in the NESCAC in scoring (17.7 ppg), rebounding (8.9 rpg), and blocks (2.2 bpg) while shooting 58.0 percent from the floor this season. The senior's 52 blocked shots paced the NESCAC in that category. Murray also earned his second All-NESCAC honor of his career with a spot on the First Team.

Trinity's Dana Smith is the NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year and the fourth Bantam to garner the award. Smith has started all 27 games for the NESCAC Champions and is chipping in 7.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 63.2 percent from the field. Smith, who leads the NESCAC in assist-to-turnover ratio (+3.4), helped the Batams win their second NESCAC title in program history as the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament. The Bantams will host first and second-round games in the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament starting on Friday, March 1.

Marc Begin II of Bates is the NESCAC Rookie of the Year and is the third Bobcat to collect the honor in program history. Begin II was the highest-scoring rookie in the NESCAC this season, averaging 16.6 points per game, and handed out 2.2 assists per game. Begin II's season was highlighted by a pair of impressive scoring performances. He dropped in 38 points in a win over Colby (Dec. 9) and netted 47 points, one shy of the Bates men's basketball single-game scoring record, in a victory over Saint Joseph's College (ME) on January 2.

Trinity head coach James Cosgrove and his staff of Trey Witter and John McNair were recognized as the NESCAC Coaching Staff of the Year by their peers. It marks the second time in Cosgrove's 14 years on the Trinity sidelines the Bantam coaches have been honored. Cosgrove directed Trinity to its first NESCAC title since 2008 and second in program history as the No. 2 seed in the NESCAC Tournament. The Bantams, who set a program record for wins in a season (26-1), were able to avenge their only loss of the season with a victory over top-seeded Williams. Trinity's stellar season continues as the Bantams will host first and second-round games in the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament starting on Friday, March 1.

2024 NESCAC Men's Basketball Awards
Player of the Year: David Murray, Conn. College
Defensive Player of the Year: Dana Smith, Trinity
Rookie of the Year: Marc Begin II, Bates
Coaching Staff of the Year: Trinity College (James Cosgrove, Trey Witter, John McNair)

All-NESCAC First Team
Pos-Name	School	Yr	Hometown	Previous Honors
F/C - Ben Callahan-Gold	Trinity	Sr.	New York, N.Y.	2023 2nd Team
F - Scott Gyimesi	Tufts	So.	Fair Haven, N.J.
C - Nate Karren	Williams	Sr.	Sacramento, Calif.	2023 2nd Team, 2022 1st Team
G - Hank Morgan	Hamilton	Jr.	Caldwell, N.J.
F/C - David Murray	Conn. College	Sr.	Jackson Heights, N.Y.	2023 2nd Team
G - Shane Regan	Wesleyan	Jr.	Larchmont, N.Y.
G/F - Henry Vetter	Trinity	So.	Kenilworth, Ill.	2023 ROY
All-NESCAC Second Team
Pos-Name	School	Yr	Hometown	Previous Honors
F - Elias Espinosa	Conn. College	So.	Leonia, N.J.
G - Nicky Johnson	Wesleyan	Jr.	Lexington, Mass.	2023 1st Team
G - Noah Osher	Middlebury	Sr.	Northbrook, Ill.
G - Max Poulton	Colby	So.	Wellesley, Mass.
G - Cam Schainfeld	Conn. College	Jr.	Newton, Mass.
C - Will Scherer	Amherst	Jr.	Darnestown, Md.
G - Teja Singh	Hamilton	Jr.	Seattle, Wash.	2023 2nd Team