Robert Morris dominated the Northeast Conference postseason awards, which were announced Tuesday.
Jeremy Chappell, a senior guard, was a unanimous choice by the league's coaches as NEC Player of the Year. He's the first unanimous choice since 2006, when Fairleigh Dickinson's Chad Timberlake earned the honor.
"Winning this award wouldn't be possible without my teammates," Chappell said. "Because our team was successful is why I won. I'm proud."
Robert Morris senior guard Bateko Francisco was named the NEC Defensive Player of the Year. And Mike Rice won his second consecutive Jim Phelan Coach of the Year award after the Colonials claimed their second straight regular-season league title.
Also, Chappell was named to the conference's first team, and Colonials junior forward Rob Robinson was named to the second team.
Chappell said Rice and his staff made him a complete player, forcing him to work on his weaknesses.
"I'm a better player because of it," Chappell said. "Winning this award wasn't my intentions. I want to the team to win.
"Hopefully, the next 10 days will be big for us. Getting to the NCAA Tournament has been my dream since I came here."
Also on the NEC first team were Mount St. Mary's Jeremy Goode, Sacred Heart's Joey Henley, Quinnipiac's Justin Rutty and Long Island's Jaytornah Wisseh.
This is the second consecutive season that Robert Morris had the Player of the Year winner. Tony Lee won the award last season.
Chappell ranks in the NEC top 15 in nine different categories. He's third in scoring (16.6 points per game), 3-pointers (73, 2.4 per game) and free-throw percentage (.854); eighth in rebounding (6.3 rpg); and ninth in 3-point percentage (.403).
Chappell will be remembered as one of the top all-around performers in league history: career points (1,805), rebounds (656 boards), assists (324), steals (259) and 3-pointers (232). He's the only player in NEC history to compile 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 250 assists, 250 steals and 200 3-pointers during his career.
Other Robert Morris players to win the Player of the Year include Chipper Harris (1983-84), Vaughn Luton (1988-89), Myron Walker (1991-92) and Lee (2007-08).
Familiar foes
St. Francis (N.Y.) is trying to forget about its three-game slide to end the regular season.
Instead, the Terriers are focused on Thursday's Northeast Conference Tournament first-round game at Sewall Center against regular-season champion Robert Morris (21-10).
The Terriers and Colonials split their season series, with St. Francis winning in Moon, 88-79, on Dec. 4 to open conference action. Robert Morris won the rematch Feb. 5 in Brooklyn, N.Y.
"The two games were so different," St. Francis coach Brian Nash said. "The first game was an offensive explosion. The second game was pretty tight, back-and-forth. Both teams didn't shoot it great, and both teams turned it over a ton.
"When the NEC Tournament begins, the games turn into half-court games. Teams are more tired, and you run your offense to get better shots. I expect it to be a physical game."
St. Francis has won its past two games at Sewall Center.
"They depend on the 3-pointer, and they convert a lot," Rice said. "We are certainly going to have a big challenge containing them, and they certainly have confidence having won in this building. They're a dangerous team."
Robert Morris will earn an automatic NCAA Tournament bid if it can win the conference tournament. All NEC Tournament games for the Colonials will be at home.
