Rogers Named Conference Player of the Year, Sutter Coach of the Year

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State sophomore Kenney Rogers (Springfield, Mass.) punctuated a tremendous second season with the Owls after being named the MASCAC Player of the Year for the second consecutive season; joined by junior Xavier Lewis (Long Island, N.Y.) on the all-conference team while head coach Rich Sutter was named the league's coach of the year.

Rogers continued his award-winning ways with the league's player of the year honors and selection on the all-conference first team. The sophomore forward finished second in the conference in scoring at 20.1 points per game, adding 8.0 rebounds, 124 assists, 45 steals and 12 blocked shots.

Rogers reached several historical milestones during the course of the regular season, setting the single-game program record with 52 points in the Owls' 106-88 victory over Bridgewater State on February 14. The 52-point outburst broke a 57-year-old school record of 50 points set by Ray Glynn in a 1969 game versus Nichols College. On December 8, Rogers shined with a triple-double in a victory over Colby-Sawyer, registering 18 points, ten rebounds, and ten assists.

In the regular season finale against Fitchburg State, Rogers passed the 1,000-point career scoring mark in just 53 career games and concludes his sophomore campaign at 1,060 career points in two seasons. He currently ranks 22^nd on the career scoring list.

Rogers was named the MASCAC's Co-Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year as a freshman, which also led to him being named the D3hoops.com Regional Rookie of the Year.

Lewis joins Rogers as an all-conference selection as a second team guard, finishing second on the Owls at 14.2 points per game. Lewis was one of the most efficient scorers in the MASCAC this season, shooting 52.8 percent to lead all guards and place fifth in the league. He also shot nearly 35 percent from three-point land and led the conference in free throw percentage at 85.1 percent. The junior guard also reached a career-high in scoring on the road at Bridgewater, compiling 33 points on a blistering 13-19 shooting.

Lewis set career-high scoring marks in his third season and sits at 697 career points and 126 steals with one year remaining.

Earning the BSN Sports Coach of the Year is Owls head coach Rich Sutter, who led Westfield to a 21-6 overall mark and a trip to the MASCAC Championship game for the sixth time in the last seven seasons. On January 10, Sutter won his 400^th career game as part of an 85-64 win against Worcester State and now has more wins than any other men's basketball coach in MASCAC history.

A four-time MASCAC Tournament Champion, Sutter is also the winningest coach in the history of the men's basketball program and has more wins than any Westfield State head coach. He has recorded 20 or more wins in four of the last six seasons and the program has six NCAA Tournament appearances under Sutter.

Westfield State clinched the MASCAC regular season title and the top seed in the conference tournament, defeating MCLA 95-68 in a conference semifinal game before falling to second-seeded Worcester State 73-71 in the MASCAC Championship game.