Elon’s Bryant Tabbed CAA MBB Rookie of the Year

RICHMOND, Va. – Elon University guard Elijah Bryant has been named the Colonial Athletic Association’s 2015 Men’s Basketball Rookie of the Year, the league office announced on Thursday night, March 5.


Elijah Bryant (Photo by Grant Halverson)

Bryant is the first player in program history to be named rookie of the year. He was also a third-team All-CAA selection and named to the league’s five-player all-freshman team. In addition to Bryant’s honor, Luke Eddy, Christian Hairston and Ryan Winters were all named to the CAA All-Academic Team. Elon had the most number of CAA All-Academic honorees of any league institution.

A six-time CAA Rookie of the Week honoree this season, Bryant leads all league freshmen in scoring at 13.9 points per game. The Gwinnett, Ga., native has scored in double figures in 25-of-31 games this season and is averaging 14.9 points per contests against CAA competition. In Elon’s first CAA game, Bryant dropped a career-high 32 points in a road win at Drexel on Jan. 3. For that performance, he was named the CAA Rookie of the Week and the league’s Co-Player of the Week. On Feb. 11, Bryant recorded the first double-double of his career with 15 points and 10 rebounds against CAA regular season champion William & Mary. Bryant began his freshman campaign scoring in double figures in his first seven contests, including an 18-point performance in Cancun, Mexico, versus Morgan State to lead the Phoenix back from 19 points down to win the game. For his efforts, Bryant was named to the Cancun Challenge Mayan Division All-Tournament Team. Bryant is averaging 24.6 minutes per game this season and has played in all 31 of Elon’s games, making 11 starts.

Eighth-seeded Elon opens the CAA Men’s Basketball Championship tomorrow night at 6 p.m. at Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore against ninth-seeded Towson. Watch the game live on CAA.tv.

2014-15 CAA Men’s Basketball Award Winners
CAA Player of the Year: Marcus Thornton, William & Mary
CAA Rookie of the Year: Elijah Bryant, Elon
CAA Defensive Player of the Year: Terry Tarpey, William & Mary
CAA Coach of the Year: Kevin Keatts, UNCW
Dean Ehlers Leadership Award: Caleb Donnelly, Northeastern and Tom Schalk, William & Mary

First Team All-CAA
Scott Eatherton, Northeastern
Juan’ya Green, Hofstra
Damion Lee, Drexel
Addison Spruill, UNCW
Marcus Thornton, William & Mary

Second Team All-CAA
Ron Curry, James Madison
Freddie Jackson, UNCW
Ameen Tanksley, Hofstra
Terry Tarpey, William & Mary
David Walker, Northeastern

Third Team All-CAA
Kyle Anderson, Delaware
Elijah Bryant, Elon
Yohanny Dalembert, James Madison
John Davis, Towson
Omar Prewitt, William & Mary

CAA All-Rookie Team
Elijah Bryant, Elon
Chivarsky Corbett, Delaware
Kory Holden, Delaware
Mike Morsell, Towson
Jordon Talley, UNCW

CAA All-Defensive Team
Yohanny Dalembert, James Madison
Scott Eatherton, Northeastern
Freddie Jackson, UNCW
Damion Lee, Drexel
Terry Tarpey, William & Mary

CAA All-Academic Team
Kyle Anderson, Delaware
Canyon Barry, College of Charleston
Dimitrije Cabarkapa, James Madison
Caleb Donnelly, Northeastern
Luke Eddy, Elon
Christian Hairston, Elon
Kevin Hickson, UNCW
Damion Lee, Drexel
Four McGlynn, Towson
Dion Nesmith, Hofstra
Timajh Parker-Rivera, Towson
Tom Schalk, William & Mary
Michael Schlotman, William & Mary
Rodney Williams, Drexel
Ryan Winters, Elon