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2008-2009 NBE ALL-BIG EAST AWARDS

It was a regular season to remember in the Big East and it was capped off Saturday with great games all day. From Pittsburgh’s win over Connecticut at noon, to the Syracuse overtime victory at Marquette that followed and it was completed by Louisville winning the outright Big East regular season title and #1 seed for the 2009 Big East Tournament (tickets STILL available) with an exciting win at West Virginia in front of the whole ESPN College Gameday experience.

The excitement will certainly continue this week with all 16 teams converging on Madison Square Garden for five more days of excitement. Four games a day on Tuesday, Wednesday Thursday with one of the best night’s of the year on Friday night at the ‘Garden’ on tap this week. The week-long celebration of the Big East will be capped off by the championship game on Saturday night.

Then, Selection Sunday comes and the Big East will embark on what will hopefully be a historical performance in the 2009 NCAA Tournament (& Tickets).

Today we celebrate the accomplishments of the regular season. Below is the results of the NBE writers and contributors voting of the Big East All-League teams as well as individual honors.

Hopefully everyone has enjoyed another great Big East season and let the Madness Begin!!!!!!!!!

NBE Big East Player of the Year:
DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh

NBE All-Big East 1st Team:
Terrence Williams, Louisville
Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut
Jerel McNeal, Marquette
Luke Harangody, Notre Dame
Sam Young, Pittsburgh

NBE All-Big East 2nd Team:
Levance Fields, Pittsburgh
Jonny Flynn, Syracuse
Dante Cunningham, Villanova
Jeff Adrien, Connecticut
Wes Mathews, Marquette

NBE All-Big East 3rd Team:
Scottie Reynolds, Villanova
AJ Price, Connecticut
Da’Sean Butler, West Virginia
Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall
Earl Clark, Louisville

NBE All-Big East Honorable Mention:
Dominique Jones, South Florida
Lazar Hayward, Marquette
Dominic James, Marquette
Deonta Vaughn, Cincinnati

NBE Big East’s Defensive Player of the Year:
Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut

NBE Big East Coach of the Year:
Jamie Dixon, Pittsburgh

NBE Big East’s Most Improved Player:
Dante Cunningham

NBE Big East Freshman of the Year:
Greg Monroe, Georgetown

NBE All-Big East Freshmen 1st Team:
Kemba Walker, Connecticut
Yancy Gates, Cincinnati
Devin Ebanks, West Virginia
Samardo Samuels, Louisville
Mike Rosario, Rutgers

NBE All-Big East Freshmen 2nd Team:
Greg Echenique, Rutgers
Kevin Jones, West Virginia
Darryl ‘Truck’ Bryant, West Virginia
Augustus Gilchrist, South Florida
Dion Dixon, Cincinnati

NBE All-Big East Freshmen Honorable Mention:
Jason Clark, Georgetown
Ashton Gibbs, Pittsburgh
Jordan Theodore, Seton Hall

List of Big East Awards Voters:
NBE Blogger
Chris Dokish
Doug Ferguson
Ray Mernagh
Matt Whitfield
Ron Bailey
Jeff Borzello
Nathan Wollack

Of the eight, seven picked Pittsburgh as the expected 2009 Big East Tournament champion. Louisville received one vote.

Others receiving Big East Player of the Year Votes:
Terrence Williams and Jerel McNeal (1 each)

Others receiving Coach of the Year Votes:
Jay Wright (2), Keno Davis and Rick Pitino (1 each)

Others receiving Defensive Player of the Year Votes:
Jerel McNeal (1)

Others receiving Most Improved Player Votes:
Wes Mathews (2), Jeremy Hazell and Jerel McNeal (1 each)

Others receiving Freshman of the Year Votes:
Kemba Walker, Samardo Samuels, Devin Ebanks and Mike Rosario (1 each)