NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. - The Little East Conference office announced it annual men's basketball all-conference teams this afternoon after each of the eight head coaches casted their votes. Rhode Island College senior guard Bobby Bailey (Fall River, Mass.) earned a pair of the major awards, earning Defensive Player of the Year, while Keene State College senior Tyler Kathan (Ludlow, Vt.) shared the conference's top player award with Bailey. Western Connecticut State University freshman guard Daquan Brooks (Bristol, Conn.) was tabbed Rookie of the Year, and Bob Walsh was selected Coach of the Year by his peers.

The Little East Conference honored 11 student-athletes on the top-two teams. The conference also recognized a five member all-defensive team, and six-player all-rookie team.

Bailey is just the second Anchorman to earn at least a share of the conference's top award, since Alex Butler headlined the all-conference teams in 1997. The native of Fall River, Mass. is making his third straight appearance on the All-Little East Conference teams, but his debut on the first team after earning second team honors the past two campaigns. Bailey returned from an injury for the final 22 games of the regular season to help Rhode Island College post a 19-3 overall record, including a 12-1 mark in the conference circuit. A starter in 20 games, he reached double figures in scoring in 17 contests, including a season-high 21 points against Western Connecticut on Jan. 27. Bailey recorded a double-double against then-nationally ranked Amherst College, netting 17 points and pulling in 11 rebounds. He averaged 11.9 points and 5.2 rebounds, while adding 42 assists.

On the defensive side, Bailey helped the Anchormen sport the top-ranked defense in scoring defense (64.9 ppg) and field goal percentage defense (40.8). The three-time All-Little East defensive team pick collect at least six boards 11 times, including 13 in the Little East Championship against UMass Dartmouth. He ranked third in the conference in steals (39) and blocked shots (20). Bailey is the first student-athlete to be honored as the top defensive player.

Kathan is the sixth player in conference history to earn at least a share of the Little East Player of the Year award twice, and first since Plymouth State College's Adam DeChristopher repeated in 1999. The three-time All-Little East, first-team selection averaged a double-double in 26 games to lead the conference circuit in scoring (18.4 ppg) and rebounding (10.2 rpg). Kathan posted seven of his Little East-best 14 double-doubles against conference opponents. He reached double figures in scoring in all but two games, while scoring at least 30 points three times. Kathan netted a season-high 36 points against Western Connecticut.

Brooks is just the second Colonial to be tabbed the Little East Rookie of the Year since Western Connecticut joined the conference in 1994. The Bristol, Conn. native was to top-vote getter on the all-rookie ballot after ranking among the conference leaders in steals (fifth, 1.6 spg), scoring (sixth, 13.6 ppg), and assists (eighth, 3.0 apg). Brooks reached double figures in the scoring column in 18 of his 26 appearances. He netted a season-best 33 points, including five three-pointers, against Keene State College on Feb. 14. Brooks handed out multiple assists 21 times, including a season-high seven at Southern Vermont.

Walsh has been selected as the top coach in the Little East for the second time in the past three years. The Anchormen earned the program's third consecutive berth into the NCAA Tournament after posting a 23-5 overall record. Rhode Island College is ranked No. 17 in the latest edition of the D3Hoops.com national poll, and fourth in the final NCAA Division III Northeast Region.  Walsh led his squad to the program's most successful campaign in the Little East, boasting a 13-1 mark to earn the top seed in the annual conference tournament.

The guard tandem of senior Tirrell Hill (Bronx, N.Y.) and sophomore Antone Gray (Providence, R.I.) join Bailey as Rhode Island College earned three first-team selections.  Kathan and University of Massachusetts Dartmouth senior guard Reece Freeman (Cambridge, Mass.) and junior forward Brandon Shelton (Cambridge, Mass.) complete the All-Little East, first team picks.

Keene State College senior forward Nate Anderson (Westminster, Mass.), Western Connecticut State University senior guard Dashon Jennings (Bridgeport, Conn.), Anchormen senior forward Kaseem Johnson (New Haven, Conn.), Corsair sophomore guard Brandon Stephens (Dorchester, Mass.), and Eastern Connecticut State University junior guard Edwin Ortiz (Hartford, Conn.) each represented their institutions on the second-team.

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth sophomore guard Jeff Macchi (Franklin, Mass.) and Warriors freshman forward Nick Nedwick (Irvington, N.Y.) join Bailey, Freeman, and Hill on the all-defensive squad.

Freshman forwards Gary Robinson (Torrington, Conn.) and Leroy Mayers (Bronx, N.Y.) join Brooks as Colonial representatives on the all-rookie team. Rhode Island College freshman forward Mason Choice (Newport, R.I.), Keene State freshman guard Derek D'Amours (Agawam, Mass.), and Nedwick complete the six-member team.