Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The Northeast-10 Conference announced today that UMass Lowell men's basketball sophomore captain Max Kerman has been named Defensive Player of the Year, freshman point guard Kyle Caiola was named Freshman of the Year, and first-year head coach Greg Herenda was selected as NE-10 Coach of the Year.

Junior forward Victor Colon was also named to the NE-10 Second Team All-Conference. Caiola was both a NE-10 Second Team selection and an All-Rookie Team selection.

Caiola became the second UMass Lowell player to earn Freshman of the Year honors in the University's nine-year membership in the NE-10. He averaged 13.9 points, 3.0 assists and 2.2 steals per game while shooting .468 from 3-point range and .762 from the free throw line. Caiola also ranks first in the NE-10 in steals, and he is in the top 15 in scoring (12th), free throw accuracy (12th) and assist-turnover ration (1.1, 15th).

Kerman is the first UMass Lowell player to earn Defensive Player of the Year honors. Kerman has registered 8.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game while shooting .768 from the free throw line (11th in the NE-10) and .382 from long range.

Herenda led UMass Lowell from a 12-17 team in 2007-08 (8-14 NE-10) to the third-ranked team in the East Region.

"To win this award amongst the tremendous coaches in this conference means a great deal to me," Herenda said in a release. "I have so much respect for all of the coaches and the integrity of this conference.

"First and foremost I have to thank my staff. They have been as loyal and hardworking as any staff could be," he added. "But without my players and their commitment and perseverance this could never have happened. They play so hard everyday - they are very special to me. I have said it before but everyday is like Christmas to me. I am a very fortunate coach."