CAPE COD, Mass. - Senior guard Steve Dagostino from the College of Saint Rose has been chosen as the 2007-08 ECAC Division II Men's Basketball Player of the Year, in a vote by the coaches at ECAC member institutions.  Dagostino led the Golden Knights to the second round of the NCAA Championship by scoring 18.3 points per game, to go along with 5.9 assists, 2.5 steals, and an 88 percent free throw percentage (eighth in Division II).  The Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Year is named to the ECAC first team for the second consecutive year.

Merrimack College freshman Darin Mency has been chosen as the 2007-08 ECAC Division II Men's Basketball Rookie of the Year, with per-game averages of 17.7 points and 5.7 rebounds.  The Warriors' forward was named Northeast-10 Conference Rookie of the Year for his efforts.

Joining Dagostino on the first team is Jonathan Schmidt of C.W. Post, Michael Sturns of Holy Family University, and Bentley College's Nate Fritsch and Jason Westrol.

Schmidt, the East Coast Conference Player of the Year, led the Pioneers to a 26-5 record and the conference title.  The junior guard averaged 20.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists on the season.  Sturns finished the season as the top scorer in the nation, chalking up 26.6 points per game.  The senior guard also had 6.7 rebounds per game, and earned the distinction of Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Player of the Year.  Both C.W. Post and Holy Family bowed out of the NCAA tournament in the first round.

The duo from Bentley guided the Falcons to a 34-0 mark before falling in the National semifinal to eventual champion Winona State.  Fritsch, a senior forward, posted numbers of 13.1 points and 5.5 rebounds this season.  Westrol, a sophomore guard, led the team in points (15.1) and rebounds (6.5).

Five players were also selected to an ECAC second team: Merrimack's Darren Duncan, Corey Diethorn from Assumption College, Ryan Williams of Pace University, Bentley's Lew Finnegan, and Malcolm Ingram from Philadelphia University.