# Coastal Athletic Association Men's Basketball Player of the Year

The Coastal Athletic Association Men's Basketball Player of the Year (formerly the Colonial Athletic Association Men's Basketball Player of the Year) is an award given to the Coastal Athletic Association's most outstanding player. The award was first given following the 1982–83 season, when the conference was known as the ECAC South basketball league. In 1985, the conference expanded to offer more sports, and became the Colonial Athletic Association. The conference name was changed to Coastal Athletic Association in 2023.
The first award, the only tie, was given to Dan Ruland of James Madison and Carlos Yates of George Mason. Two players have won the award three times: David Robinson of Navy (1984–1986) and George Evans of George Mason (1999–2001). Evans' first award in 1999 was as a 28-year-old sophomore—he had served seven years in the United States Army, seeing combat in Somalia, Bosnia, and Desert Storm. Eight other players have been the CAA POY twice, with Hofstra's Aaron Estrada being the most recent (2022, 2023).
Hofstra has the most all-time awards with nine and most individual recipients with six. Since July 2022, it is the only one of the five schools with the most awards to still be in the conference. George Mason (six winners) left for the Atlantic 10 in 2013. James Madison, Old Dominion and VCU have each had four winners; James Madison left for the Sun Belt Conference in 2022, Old Dominion left for Conference USA in 2013, and VCU left for the A-10 in 2012. Navy's three wins by Robinson were won while the team was a conference member for just nine years. Another charter member, Richmond, won three awards before leaving the conference in 2001. Other original members to leave, American and East Carolina, each have one recipient. Of the conference's current members, William & Mary went the longest without its first winner. In 2015, 32 years after the award was first handed out, Marcus Thornton claimed William & Mary's first ever honor.

## Key

| † | Co-Players of the Year |
| * | Awarded a national player of the year award: UPI College Basketball Player of the Year (1954–55 to 1995–96) Naismith College Player of the Year (1968–69 to present) John R. Wooden Award (1976–77 to present) |
| Player (X) | Denotes the number of times the player has been awarded the CAA Player of the Year award at that point |

## Winners

| Season | Player | School | Position | Class |
| 1982–83$^†$ | Dan Ruland | James Madison | C | Senior |
| 1982–83$^†$ | Carlos Yates | George Mason | F | Sophomore |
| 1983–84 | Johnny Newman | Richmond | F | Sophomore |
| 1984–85 | David Robinson | Navy | C | Sophomore |
| 1985–86 | David Robinson (2) | Navy | C | Junior |
| 1986–87 | David Robinson* (3) | Navy | C | Senior |
| 1987–88 | Kenny Sanders | George Mason | F | Junior |
| 1988–89 | Blue Edwards | East Carolina | F | Senior |
| 1989–90 | Steve Hood | James Madison | SG | Junior |
| 1990–91 | Steve Hood (2) | James Madison | SG | Senior |
| 1991–92 | Curtis Blair | Richmond | SG | Senior |
| 1992–93 | Brian Gilgeous | American | F / G | Senior |
| 1993–94 | Odell Hodge | Old Dominion | C / F | Sophomore |
| 1994–95 | Petey Sessoms | Old Dominion | F | Senior |
| 1995–96 | Bernard Hopkins | VCU | F | Senior |
| 1996–97 | Odell Hodge (2) | Old Dominion | C / F | Senior |
| 1997–98 | Jarod Stevenson | Richmond | SF | Senior |
| 1998–99 | George Evans | George Mason | C / F | Sophomore |
| 1999–00 | George Evans (2) | George Mason | C / F | Junior |
| 2000–01 | George Evans (3) | George Mason | C / F | Senior |
| 2001–02 | Brett Blizzard | UNC Wilmington | SG | Junior |
| 2002–03 | Brett Blizzard (2) | UNC Wilmington | SG | Senior |
| 2003–04 | Domonic Jones | VCU | PG | Senior |
| 2004–05 | Alex Loughton | Old Dominion | C / F | Junior |
| 2005–06 | J. J. Barea | Northeastern | PG | Senior |
| 2006–07 | Loren Stokes | Hofstra | G | Senior |
| 2007–08 | Eric Maynor | VCU | PG | Junior |
| 2008–09 | Eric Maynor (2) | VCU | PG | Senior |
| 2009–10 | Charles Jenkins | Hofstra | PG | Junior |
| 2010–11 | Charles Jenkins (2) | Hofstra | PG | Senior |
| 2011–12 | Ryan Pearson | George Mason | SF | Senior |
| 2012–13 | Jerrelle Benimon | Towson | PF | Junior |
| 2013–14 | Jerrelle Benimon (2) | Towson | PF | Senior |
| 2014–15 | Marcus Thornton | William & Mary | SG | Senior |
| 2015–16 | Juan'ya Green | Hofstra | PG | Senior |
| 2016–17 | T. J. Williams | Northeastern | PG | Senior |
| 2017–18 | Justin Wright-Foreman | Hofstra | PG | Junior |
| 2018–19 | Justin Wright-Foreman (2) | Hofstra | PG | Senior |
| 2019–20 | Nathan Knight | William & Mary | PF | Senior |
| 2020–21 | Matt Lewis | James Madison | SG | Senior |
| 2021–22 | Aaron Estrada | Hofstra | PG / SG | Junior |
| 2022–23 | Aaron Estrada (2) | Hofstra | PG / SG | Senior |
| 2023–24 | Tyler Thomas | Hofstra | SG | Graduate |
| 2024–25 | Tyler Tejada | Towson | SG | Sophomore |

## Winners by school

The CAA began in 1982 when it was known as the ECAC South. The CAA was officially organized in 1985 when it expanded from only a basketball conference. Awards from the ECAC are included.
Years of joining reflect the calendar year in which each school joined the CAA or ECAC South.
| School (year joined) | Winners | Years |
| Hofstra (2001) | 9 | 2007, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024 |
| George Mason (1982) | 6 | 1983$^†$, 1988, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2012 |
| James Madison (1982) | 4 | 1983$^†$, 1990, 1991, 2021 |
| Old Dominion (1991) | 4 | 1994, 1995, 1997, 2005 |
| VCU (1995) | 4 | 1996, 2004, 2008, 2009 |
| Navy (1982) | 3 | 1985, 1986, 1987 |
| Richmond (1982) | 3 | 1984, 1992, 1998 |
| Towson (2001) | 3 | 2013, 2014, 2025 |
| Northeastern (2005) | 2 | 2006, 2017 |
| UNC Wilmington (1985) | 2 | 2002, 2003 |
| William & Mary (1982) | 2 | 2015, 2020 |
| American (1984) | 1 | 1993 |
| East Carolina (1982) | 1 | 1989 |
| Campbell (2023) | 0 | — |
| Charleston (2013) | 0 | — |
| Delaware (2001) | 0 | — |
| Drexel (2001) | 0 | — |
| Elon (2014) | 0 | — |
| Georgia State (2005) | 0 | — |
| Hampton (2022) | 0 | — |
| Monmouth (2022) | 0 | — |
| North Carolina A&T (2022) | 0 | — |
| Stony Brook (2022) | 0 | — |
* ↑ George Mason University left for the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) in 2013.
* ↑ James Madison University left for the Sun Belt Conference (SBC) in 2022.
* ↑ Old Dominion University left for Conference USA (CUSA) in 2013. It is now in the SBC.
* ↑ Virginia Commonwealth University was a member until joining the A-10 in 2012.
* ↑ The United States Naval Academy (Navy) was a member until joining the Patriot League in 1991.
* ↑ The University of Richmond was a member until joining the A-10 in 2001.
* ↑ American University was a member until it joined the Patriot League in 2001.
* ↑ East Carolina was a member until it joined CUSA in 2001. It is now in the American Athletic Conference.
* ↑ Delaware will leave for CUSA after the 2024–25 season.
* ↑ Georgia State University left for the SBC in 2013.