Bryant hoops honored by Cox Sports

BRYANT BASKETBALL EARNS THREE AWARDS AT 2013 COX SPORTS BASKETBALL AWARDS LUNCHEON MONDAY

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Coming off a historic year for Bryant University basketball, the Bulldogs earned three awards, including Men's Coach of the Year, Women's Coach of the Year and Team of the Year at the 2013 Cox Sports Rhode Island Basketball Media Awards Luncheon on Monday.

Men's basketball head coach Tim O'Shea was honored with the Joe Mullaney Award for Rhode Island Division I Men's Coach of the Year after leading the Bulldogs to one of the most impressive turnarounds in NCAA history this season. O'Shea lead Bryant to a second place finish the Northeast Conference and berths in both the NEC Tournament and the CBI in the program's first year of Division I eligibility. The Bulldogs broke record after record this season under the guidance of Coach O'Shea, who was named the NEC Coach of the Year, having led his program to a 19-12 season, the team's first winning campaign at the DI level.

The Bryant University women's basketball team put together a historic 2012-13 season behind the leadership and guidance of Vin Cullen Award recipient and Rhode Island Division I Women's Coach of the Year, Mary Burke. Despite dealing with multiple injuries and setbacks, the Bulldogs earned a Northeast Conference Tournament berth in their first year of Division I postseason eligibility, winning eight of their final 13 games to secure the eighth and final spot. On top of an already groundbreaking year, Mary Burke enjoyed her 300th career-victory with a 64-49 victory over LIU Brooklyn on January 26.

Topping off a great year in Bulldog hoops, the Bryant men's basketball team was named the David Gavitt Rhode Island Basketball Team of the Year after producing one of the most impressive turnaround seasons in the history of not just Rhode Island basketball, but in NCAA history this season. The Bulldogs led the nation with an impressive 17-win turnaround, in the process, earned NEC tournament and CBI postseason berths for the first time. A national storyline all season long, Bryant spent seven weeks ranked in the College Insider Mid Major Top 25, earning marquee wins over such programs Boston College, Lehigh and Robert Morris. The Bulldogs saw three players named to All-NEC teams and saw their coach honored with the NEC Coach of the Year award.