BOSTON – After taking home its first outright regular season title in over a decade, UAlbany secured a pair of major awards along with three all-conference selections. Four other schools also earned major awards as the America East released its annual honors on Wednesday afternoon.
All of the major awards, All-Conference, All-Defensive and All-Rookie teams were determined in a vote by the league’s head coaches, who could not vote for their own players.
For the first time since 2016 UAlbany claimed Player of the Year honors, as graduate student Kayla Cooper captured the award. Her coach Colleen Mullen was named the Coach of the Year. Vermont’s Bella Vito was selected as the Defensive Player of the Year while NJIT’s Olivia Kulyk earned Rookie of the Year honors. Eva DeChent of New Hampshire was recognized as the Newcomer of the Year while Maine’s Caroline Dotsey took home Sixth Player of the Year honors.
Player of the Year
Kayla Cooper – Gr., Guard, UAlbany
- Finished first in conference play in scoring (17.4), while ranking second in free throws (61), free throw percentage (82.4%) and assists per game (3.8), along with sixth in rebounding (5.9).
- Three-Time First-Team All-Conference selection.
- Six-time #AEHoops Player of the Week in 2024-25.
- Led UAlbany to its first outright regular season title since 2013.
- First UAlbany Player of the Year since 2016.
Defensive Player of the Year
Bella Vito – Sr., Guard, Vermont
- Second in the league in steals per game (2.1) while also averaging 7.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
- Anchored a Vermont defense that gave up only 47.0 points per game in conference play, the lowest mark in the league since 2012-13, and UVM also ranked first in scoring margin (+15.2) in conference play.
- Has appeared in 120 games with 98 starts for Vermont.
- First Defensive Player of the Year honoree for the Catamounts since 2019-20.
Newcomer of the Year
Eva DeChent – So., Guard, New Hampshire
- Led league in overall scoring (17.9) and free throws (135) while shooting 76.3 percent from the charity stripe.
- Averaged 4.3 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.3 assists per game.
- Scored a league-high 34 points on two occasions.
- First UNH Player to earn a major award since 2018-19.
- Transfer from Rhode Island.
Sixth Player of the Year
Caroline Dotsey – So., Forward, Maine
- Appeared in 29 games with one start, averaging 10.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.
- Scored 10+ points off the bench 13 times, including seven 17+ point scoring outbursts.
- Third on the team with 37 threes and had four games with 3+ three-point field goals.
- Third Maine Sixth Player of the Year honoree and first since 2017-18.
Rookie of the Year
Olivia Kulyk – Fr., Guard, NJIT
- Led all rookies in scoring (9.7 ppg) and tied for fourth in the entire league with 48 three-point field goals while shooting 38.7% from downtown.
- Made 24 starts in 26 appearances and averaged 4.7 rebounds per game.
- Named #AEHoops Rookie of the Week a record-tying ten times.
- Second NJIT player in the last three years to earn Rookie of the Year honors
Coach of the Year
Colleen Mullen, UAlbany
- Led UAlbany to its first No. 1 seed since 2016 and its first outright regular season championship since 2013.
- UAlbany ranked first in scoring offense (64.6), scoring margin (+11.0) and second in scoring defense (53.8)
- First UAlbany to earn Coach of the Year honors since 2013-14 and just the third overall.
- Mullen is assisted by Megan Methven, Catherine Cassidy, Valerie Klopfer, Tiana Carter and Emily Bramanti.
UAlbany and Vermont led all schools with three All-Conference honorees apiece, while Maine, NJIT and Binghamton each had a pair. Cooper earned her third straight First-Team honor, while Olson was selected to the First Team for the second time in her career. This year featured ten first-time all-conference honorees.
Sydney Watkins was the lone repeat selection on the All-Defensive Team, while Olson earned All-Academic honors for the third time in her career.
ABOUT AMERICA EAST
Founded in 1979, the America East Conference is an elite NCAA Division I athletic conference that fosters an environment for student-athletes to become champions. Comprised of academically renowned, like-minded member institutions located in the Northeast region of the United States, America East is committed to broad-based excellence and progressive in its approach to supporting its more than 3,500 student-athletes across 18 sponsored sports. For more information, visit www.AmericaEast.com and follow the America East Conference its social media channels, @AmericaEast.
– America East Conference – Where Champions Rise –
