Courtesy of the CACC

New Haven, Conn. (3/6/2024)  Thomas Jefferson University standout Erik Timko on Tuesday was named the 2023-24 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Player of the Year, as announced by Commissioner Dan Mara. It marks the second-consecutive season Timko was named the CACC Player of the Year, while he also garnered a spot on the All-CACC First Team. The voting for all conference and major awards was conducted by the league's 12 head coaches in the sport.

In addition to Timko, Bloomfield College had a trio of honorees take home the other 2023-24 major awards. Starrell Hearns was named the CACC Rookie of the Year, Edward Ngene captured the CACC Defensive Player of the Year accolade and Gerald Holmes was tabbed as the CACC Coach of the Year. Georgian Court University was named the CACC Team Sportsmanship Award winner.

Dominican University New York's Seth Sharif-Brown (Hackensack N.J.) received All-CACC Second Team honors.

Sharif-Brown has earned one CACC Player of the Week and CACC Defensive Player of the Week honors this season, while also being named to the CACC Weekly Honor Roll four times this season.  He recorded a career high 32 points against Mansfield University on November 20, 2023.  Sharif-Brown is third in the CACC In field goals, fourth in points and points per game, 10th in offensive and total rebounds, 11th in rebounds per game and free throws, 12th in blocks and field goal percentage and 17th in steals and defensive rebounds.  He leads the team in points and points per game.

Timko is averaging 20.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. He is shooting 56 percent from the field this season including a 43-percent clip from beyond the arc. He ranks second in the CACC in scoring, second in three-pointers made, second in total field goals made and fifth in field goal percentage. Timko scored in double-figures in all but one game and helped guide Jefferson to the CACC South Division Championship and the No. 1 overall seed in this week's CACC Championship tournament.

Hearns earned his second major honor from the CACC in his collegiate career, but his previous honor came in a different sport as he was named the CACC Men's Field Rookie of the Year 10 months ago at the 2023 CACC Track & Field Championship. On the hardwood, Hearns was named the league's top rookie as he is averaging 13.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He has helped guide the Bears to the CACC North Division Championship.

Ngene has been one of the premier shot blockers in the nation all season long -- regardless of NCAA division. He leads the CACC with 110 blocks and has swatted away multiple attempts in 23 games. There was only one game this season where he did not log a block.

In addition to their major awards, Hearns and Ngene were both named to the All-CACC Third Team.

Holmes led Bloomfield to 20 wins during the regular season on the way to capturing the North Division crown. The Bears have also been ranked in the NCAA Division II East Region rankings for a majority of the season and are in contention for a spot in next weekend's East Region Tournament at a site to be determined.

2023-24 CACC MEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE THIRD TEAM
Ahmed Barba-Bey (Thomas Jefferson University)
Derrick Bueno (Caldwell University)
Al Fatir Connor (Bloomfield College)
Starrell Hearns (Bloomfield College)
Edward Ngene (Bloomfield College)