NEW YORK – (March 6, 2023) The BIG EAST Conference has announced the winners for four individual awards for its 2022-23 men’s basketball season on Monday.
 
For the second year in a row, Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner has been named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year. Joel Soriano of St. John’s has been selected BIG EAST Most Improved Player. David Joplin of Marquette has won the BIG EAST Sixth Man Award. Villanova’s Caleb Daniels has been tabbed the winner of the BIG EAST Sportsmanship Award.
  
The league’s head coaches make the selections and they are not permitted to vote for their own players. The BIG EAST will announce the remaining individual awards: BIG EAST Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Freshman of the Year and Men’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete on Wednesday, March 8, at 12:30 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden.
 
Kalkbrenner, a 7-1 junior center from Florissant, Mo., has been the leader of a Creighton squad that has excelled on the defensive end of the floor for the last two seasons. This year, he leads the BIG EAST in blocked shots with a 2.2 average which ranks 18^th nationally. His defensive presence has contributed to the Bluejays leading the league in scoring defense in league games, yielding only 67.2 points per game. Kalkbrenner is an All-BIG EAST First Team selection. The last time a player repeated as Defensive Player was 2016-17 and ’17-18 when former Creighton standout guard Khyri Thomas earned the award. 
 
Soriano, a 6-11 senior from Yonkers, N.Y., has made significant leaps across the board for St. John’s.   The veteran center is averaging 15.3 points and a league-leading 11.8 rebounds. Soriano also is tied for first nationally in double-doubles with 23. Last year, Soriano had only one double-double. His double-double total is second only to former great Walter Berry’s 28 in 1985-86. He is the first St. John’s player to be the BIG EAST rebounding champion in league games with an 11.5 mark. In his first three seasons combined, Soriano scored 481 points. This year, he has 472.
 
Marquette’s Joplin has come off the bench in each of the team’s 31 games, averaging 19.1 minutes per game. The 6-7 sophomore from Milwaukee, Wis., has made important contributions to MU’s regular-season title run. He is fifth on the team in scoring with a 9.2 average and grabs 3.4 rebounds per contest. Joplin ranks second on the team in free throw shooting, making 80.5 percent. He notched his career scoring high with 28 points in only 24 minutes in an 89-69 victory at DePaul on Jan. 28. He made five steals in the title-clinching 72-56 victory at Butler on Feb. 28.
   
Villanova’s Daniels has been the steady and classy leader for the Wildcats. He is second on the team in scoring with a 14.6 average and is first on the team with 71 made 3-pointers. A native of New Orleans, La., Daniels is also a reliable free throw shooter. He has connected on 85.3 percent, which ranks fifth in the BIG EAST. Daniels leads the Wildcats in minutes played, averaging 33.6 per game.
 
BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
 
BIG EAST Most Improved Player
Joel Soriano, St. John’s
 
BIG EAST Sixth Man Award
David Joplin, Marquette 
 
BIG EAST Sportsmanship Award
Caleb Daniels, Villanova