SUNYAC announces 2017 men's basketball honors
CORTLAND, NY – The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) is proud to recognize and award the 2017 men's basketball Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year and the All-Conference teams. All awards were voted on by the SUNYAC men's basketball conference coaches.
Brian Sortino (Fairport, NY / Fairport) from Oswego was awarded Player of the Year. Kevin Mackin (Nanuet, NY / Nanuet ) from Oneonta was awarded Rookie of the Year, and Oswego's Jason Leone was voted Coach of the Year.
Sortino was named the 2017 Player of the Year after helping the Lakers to an overall 21-6 record and 15-3 in the conference. Sortino led the Lakers to their third SUNYAC title in the past 6 years with his most outstanding performance coming in the semifinals against Buffalo State where he scored 48 points in the overtime victory. On the season he finished third in the conference in points per game (20.4), second in three pointers (54), third in free throws (81) and third in assists (80). Sortino looks to continue his success on the court as the Lakers move on to the NCAA Division III tournament.
Oneonta's Kevin Mackin was named the 2017 Rookie of the Year after helping the Red Dragons to a 17-11 overall record and 12-6 in the conference. Mackin finished his freshman season with 7 points per game and a 44.9 field goal percentage. He finished the conference season with 27 three pointers which was good for 18th in the conference. Mackin's highlight of the season was on February 10th during a home contest against Geneseo where he scored a career high of 22 points.
Coach Leone led the Lakers to their seventh overall conference title and his third as the Lakers head coach. In his sixth year, Leone earns SUNYAC Coach of the Year honors for the third time. Oswego is 21-6 overall and will move on to the NCAA Division III tournament.
| 2017 SUNYAC Men's Basketball All-Conference Teams (PDF) | ||||
| First Team | ||||
| Name | School | Position | Year | Hometown |
| Lovell Smith | Buffalo State | G | Sr. | Buffalo, NY / McKinley |
| Justin Cooper | Cortland | G | So. | Pine Plains, NY / Stissing Mountain |
| Lawrence Coleman | Oneonta | F | Sr. | Croton on the Hudson, NY / Hendrick Hudson |
| Mikey McElroy | Oneonta | F | Sr. | Saratoga Springs, NY / Saratoga Springs |
| Brian Sortino | Oswego | G | Sr. | Fairport, NY / Fairport |
| Second Team | ||||
| Name | School | Position | Year | Hometown |
| Mike Henry | Buffalo State | G | Jr. | Syracuse, NY / West Genesee |
| Clifton Lyerly | Brockport | F | Sr. | Inwood, NY/ Lawrence |
| Hamed Shamseldin | Brockport | G | Jr. | Lawrence, NY / Lawrence |
| John Decker | Geneseo | G | Sr. | Lincolndale, NY / Somers |
| Jonathan Patron | Plattsburgh | F | So. | Huntington, NY / Harborfields |
| Third Team | ||||
| Name | School | Position | Year | Hometown |
| James Morales | Cortland | G | Jr. | Mount Kisco, NY / Fox Lane |
| Ian Helps | Fredonia | F | Jr. | Bronx, NY / Greater New York Academy |
| Justin Ringen | Geneseo | G | Sr. | Huntington, NY / Harborfields |
| Mykelle Krecko | Oswego | C | Sr. | Peekskill, NY / Peekskill |
| Keith Tyson | Oswego | F | Sr. | Syracuse, NY / Henniger |
| Player of the Year | Brian Sortino | Oswego | ||
| Rookie of the Year | Kevin Mackin | Oneonta | ||
| Coach of the Year | Jason Leone | Oswego | ||
