NEW YORK – Seton Hall guard Myles Powell, who helped his team to a share of the BIG EAST regular-season crown and a 21-9 overall record and 13-5 league mark,  has been named BIG EAST Player of the Year.  Villanova forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl has been chosen BIG EAST Freshman of the Year.  Creighton head coach Greg McDermott has been selected BIG EAST Coach of the Year.  The winners were selected by a vote of the league’s head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own players.  They also represent the three teams that share the regular-season crown. 
 
Powell, who was chosen BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year, ranks second in the BIG EAST in scoring with a 21.8 average which ranks 18^th nationally.  A 6-2 senior guard from Trenton, N.J., Powell performed best in tough road avenues, averaging 25.8 points in the Pirates’ nine league road games.   The Pirates never spent a day out of first place throughout the league season.  Powell is a candidate for several national awards, including the Naismith Trophy, Wooden Award and Jerry West Award.  Powell is the second Seton Hall player to earn BIG EAST Player of the Year honors.  The Hall’s Terry Dehere won the award in 1992-93.
 
Robinson-Earl has been a consistent force for the Wildcats, averaging 10.5 points and 9.4 rebounds, which ranked fourth in the BIG EAST.  He also shot 81.4 percent from the foul line, which led all freshmen.  Robinson-Earl also led league freshmen in minutes played, averaging 32.7 minutes per game.  The 6-9 native of Overland Park, Kan., won BIG EAST Freshman of the Week honors a league-leading six times.  He posted nine double-doubles.  His rebound total of 290 ranks second among freshmen in program history to Omari Spellman, who had 321 when he was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Year two seasons ago.
 
Creighton’s McDermott has led his team to a share of the BIG EAST regular-season title and the top seed in this week’s BIG EAST Tournament.  Picked seventh in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches’ poll, the Bluejays are 24-7 overall and ranked seventh this week in the Associated Press poll which ties for the highest rank in school history, also achieved under McDermott.  The Bluejays have beaten a school-record seven top-25 teams this season.  He is one of 10 finalists for the Naismith Coach of the Year award.  In his 10^th season at the Creighton helm, McDermott has compiled a 231-116 record and owns 511 victories as a college head coach.  With his son Doug named BIG EAST Player of the Year in 2014, Greg and Doug McDermott are the first father and son combination to win these two awards.