COLONIA, N.J. – The East Coast Conference announced its 2025-2026 Men’s Basketball All-Conference honorees on Tuesday afternoon. The teams were selected through a process in which each of the nine conference head coaches nominated players from their own teams. Then, the coaches voted on the nominees, but they were not allowed to vote for their own players.
Headlining the list is Daemen University’s Zach Philipkoski, who was named as the Player of the Year, while his head coach, Mike MacDonald, was named as Coach of the Year by his peers. Teammate Justin Hemphill was the unanimous selection as the Defensive Player of the Year.
The coaches selected co-Rookies of the Year in Oliver Spence from the University of the District of Columbia and Sean Reynolds from D’Youville University.
Philipkoski and Hemphill join Aaron Goldstein from the College of Staten Island, Starrell Hearns and Derrick James from St. Thomas Aquinas College, and Benjamin Bill from Daemen as first team selections.
Last season, Philipkoski was chosen for the third team. This season, he ranks fourth in the conference in scoring, averaging 17.7 points per contest. He holds second place in three-point field goal percentage at 40.0, making an average of 2.3 three-pointers per game. For the fourth-ranked Wildcats, he has scored double figures in all but two contests. Philipkoski has made four three-pointers in a game six times, most recently against Roberts Wesleyan in the regular season finale. His overall field goal percentage stands at 50.6, placing him sixth in the conference. His true strength shows at the foul line, where he converts 88.4 percent of attempts, ranking second. Philipkoski earned ECC Player of the Week honors three times this season, and Defensive Player of the Week once.
Hemphill repeats as a first-team selection. This season, he is fourth in the league in rebounding, averaging 8.5 caroms per game, and fourth in blocks at 1.6 per contest. Hemphill plays with unselfishness, as evidenced by his 5.2 assists per game, ranking third in the conference. He received Player of the Week once and Defensive Player of the Week five times.
In his first campaign, Spence averaged 13.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per contest. His field-goal percentage of 53.8 percent ranks fourth in the conference. Spence was selected for the third team All-ECC and named Rookie of the Week three times.
Reynolds contributed 11.9 points per game for the Saints, placing him second on the team. He hit a team-best 63 three-pointers and earned Rookie of the Week honors three times.
MacDonald, a repeat selection as Coach of the Year, led the Wildcats to the ECC regular season title for the second straight year. The Wildcats went a perfect 16-0 in league play, becoming only the third school to join C.W. Post (1989-90 and 2008-09) and Philadelphia U. (1992-93 and 1993-94) with two undefeated seasons in conference play. Daemen is currently ranked fourth nationally.
The second team is Tahj-Malik Campbell from Queens, JJ Chestnut from Staten Island, Justin Glover from Daemen, Bryce Merchant from Molloy, and Elisha Warren from D’Youville.
Third-team selections were Jordan Green from St. Thomas Aquinas, Dylan Kopp from Molloy, Kohen Rowbatham from Mercy, Spence, and Collin Woods from Roberts Wesleyan.
2025-26 All-ECC Men's Basketball Team
Player of the Year: Zach Philipkoski, Daemen
Co-Rookie of the Year: Oliver Spence, District of Columbia; Sean Reynolds D’Youville
Defensive Player of the Year: Justin Hemphill, Daemen
Coach of the Year: Mike MacDonald, Daemen
First-Team All-ECC
Benjamin Bill, Daemen
Aaron Goldstein, Staten Island
Starrell Hearns, St. Thomas Aquinas
Justin Hemphill, Daemen
Derrick James, St. Thomas Aquinas
Zach Philipkoski, Daemen – Player of the Year
Second-Team All-ECC
Tahj-Malik Campbell, Queens
JJ Chestnut, Staten Island
Justin Glover, Daemen
Bryce Merchant, Molloy
Elisha Warren, D’Youville
Third-Team All-ECC
Jordan Green, St. Thomas Aquinas
Dylan Kopp, Molloy
Kohen Rowbatham, Mercy
Oliver Spence, District of Columbia
Collin Woods, Roberts Wesleyan