NEW HAVEN, Conn. (February 27, 2018) -- Goldey-Beacom College standout Corey Taite on Tuesday was named the 2017-18 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Men's Basketball Player of the Year, as announced by Commissioner Dan Mara. Taite, who was also named to the All-CACC First Team, highlighted a list of honorees, as all major award and all-conference performers were voted on by the league's 14 head coaches in the sport.

Joining Taite as major award recipients were Wilmington University's Jermaine Head (Rookie of the Year), University of the Sciences' Flo Da-Silva (Defensive Player of the Year) and Bloomfield College's Gerald Holmes (Coach of the Year).

Taite ranks third in the league in scoring at 19.3 points per game, as he helped guide the Lightning to a 15-4 mark in conference play during the regular season and the CACC South Division Championship. Taite paced the CACC in three-point field goal percentage (46.2%) and free throws made (139). His 521 points this season is the second-highest mark in the conference.

Taite netted 20-or-more points in 13 games this season, including a streak of seven straight from Jan. 6-30. Among that streak was a 32-point effort in a triumph over Chestnut Hill College on the 30th. However, that was not Taite's highest scoring output of the campaign, as he tossed in 40 points in a wild 113-111 victory over Adelphi on Dec. 16.

Head has had a strong debut season at the collegiate level, as his 18.4 points per game scoring average is fourth in the conference, and just a spot back of Taite. His 184 made field goals is second most in the CACC. Taite has topped 20 points in the last five contests, including 28 in a win over Georgian Court University last week. His season-best scoring mark was a 32-point outburst back on Nov. 15, to lead the Wildcats to a 76-75 win over Millersville. In addition to being named the league's top rookie, Head also garnered a spot on the All-CACC Second Team.

Da-Silva locked up the defensive player-of-the-year award for the second time in as many seasons. He leads the CACC with 75 steals. He collected three-or-more thefts 14 times, including a season-high seven in a win over Chestnut Hill on Dec. 9. Da-Silva also swiped six steals each in two other contests. Da-Silva joined Head on the All-CACC Second Team.

Holmes was voted the league's top coach after he led Bloomfield to a 17-2 CACC record and the North Division Championship. To go along with those impressive accomplishments, Bloomfield has been ranked in the East Region Poll each week during the season. Bloomfield's strong 2017-18 season comes on the heels of the Bears capturing the CACC crown in 2016-17. He enters this year's CACC Tournament with 299 career wins.

The other major award handed out on Tuesday was Nyack College receiving the CACC Team Sportsmanship Award for demonstrating outstanding class and character throughout the season.

2017-18 CACC MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Corey Taite (Goldey-Beacom College)

2017-18 CACC MEN'S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Jermaine Head (Wilmington University)

2017-18 CACC MEN'S BASKETBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Flo Da-Silva (University of the Sciences)

2017-18 CACC MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH OF THE YEAR
Gerald Holmes (Bloomfield College)

2017-18 CACC MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
Nyack College

2017-18 CACC MEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM
Nick Davidson (Bloomfield College)
Daniel Grant (Dominican College)
Nick Richards (Wilmington University)
Terrell Spaulding (Felician University)
Corey Taite (Goldey-Beacom College)

2017-18 CACC MEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM
Flo Da-Silva (University of the Sciences)
Tyler Desrosiers (Post University)
Jermaine Head (Wilmington University)
Kaison Randolph (Jefferson)
Keith Washington (Bloomfield College)

2017-18 CACC MEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE THIRD TEAM
Safee Abdus-Sabur (Bloomfield College)
Derek Dorn (Caldwell University)
Alexander Gorton (Jefferson)
Will Gregorits (University of the Sciences)
Dante Thompson (Goldey-Beacom College)

The 2017-18 CACC Men's Basketball Championship tips off Tuesday night with the quarterfinal round at the sites of the highest seeds. Tuesday's four winners will advance to Championship Weekend this Saturday and Sunday at Jefferson in Philadelphia, Pa. Saturday's semifinals will be held at 5 and 7 p.m., with Sunday's championship final to be staged at 2:30 p.m.

ABOUT THE CACC
The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference is an NCAA Division II Conference composed of 14 institutions in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The member institutions are Bloomfield College, Caldwell University, Chestnut Hill College, Concordia (N.Y.) College, Dominican (N.Y.) College, Felician University, Georgian Court University, Goldey-Beacom College, Holy Family University, Jefferson (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University), Nyack College, Post University of Waterbury, University of the Sciences, and Wilmington University.