2025 CAA Men’s Basketball Awards Unveiled; Towson’s Tejada Tabbed Player of the Year
Dylan Smith
CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL | TICKETS | BRACKET
RICHMOND, Va. (March 6, 2025) – The Coastal Athletic Association unveiled its postseason awards on Thursday, ahead of the 2025 Jersey Mike’s CAA Men’s Basketball Championship beginning on March 7 in Washington, D.C.
Voting was conducted in a poll of the CAA’s 14 head coaches following the conclusion of the regular season. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players. Honorees will be recognized at the 2025 Jersey Mike’s CAA Men’s Basketball Championship, which will be played March 7-11 at CareFirst Arena in Washington, D.C.
For the first time since the turn of the century, the CAA Men’s Basketball Player of the Year was secured by a true sophomore as Towson’s Tyler Tejada shined with his all-around effort. The Tigers’ wing becomes the first sophomore since George Mason’s George Evans in 1999 to nab the league’s top honor. The Teaneck, N.J., blossomed in league action, averaging 16.8 points on 43.7 percent shooting. Tejada also boasted 2.0 made triples per contest and shot 82.5 percent from the free-throw line.
Campbell guard Nolan Dorsey received Defensive Player of the Year accolades. The Camels’ guard led the league with 1.6 steals per game and was 12th in the conference with a team-best 6.4 rebounds per contest. He played a key role for a Campbell defense that held teams to a 29.0 percent clip from distance. During the squad’s seven-game winning streak the Camels rose from 59th overall in 3-point defense to first in the nation before settling in at 27th nationally (30.3%).
Delaware’s Izaiah Pasha was chosen as the CAA Rookie of the Year. The Blue Hens’ guard emerged as one of the nation’s top freshmen with 11.6 points per game and finished fifth in the conference with 3.6 assists per game. The Harrisburg, Pa., native secured a conference-best six Rookie of the Week honors, including four during league action. Pasha also registered 19 double-digit scoring efforts, including a pair of 20-point showings.
Towson senior guard Nendah Tarke was chosen as the Sixth Man of the Year. Tarke came on strong for the Tigers as conference play started, seeing his scoring numbers take a jump from 9.1 points to 11.3 points per game by season’s end. The Maryland product also registered 12 of his 17 double-digit scoring efforts in conference action. He shot 47.7 percent from the floor in league play and pulled down 4.5 boards per game in 18 games in reserve.
CJ Fulton of Charleston produced an impressive season on and off the court and was selected as the CAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Leading the nation with a 4.85 assist-to-turnover ratio and ranking top 10 with 6.6 assists per game (9th in NCAA), the Ireland product shined in the classroom with a 3.66 GPA. The All-CAA third team selection also balanced duties as the Cougars’ team representative on the university’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
UNCW’s Khamari McGriff was named the Dean Ehlers Leadership Award recipient, exemplifying and embodying " the highest standards of leadership, integrity and sportsmanship in conjunction with his academic and athletic achievement." The Seahawks’ big man shined with 11.6 points per game this season. In conference action, the redshirt junior paced the CAA by shooting 64.1 percent from the floor. Off the court, he spent time volunteering with The Harrelson Center, Toys for Tots, DC Virgo, iCan Dance and Catholic Charities. McGriff has also been an active participant in the university’s SAAC as an executive board member over the last two years.
Towson’s Pat Skerry secured Coach of the Year honors after leading his program to its first outright CAA Regular Season Title. The Tigers matched the league record for most conference wins with a 16-2 mark. Skerry, who is in his 14th season with the Tigers, secured his second Coach of the Year honor. He also guided his team to a 12-game winning streak during CAA action, the third-longest in league history.
Along with the major awards, the CAA announced its all-conference, all-defensive and all-rookie teams.
2024-25 CAA Men’s Basketball Postseason Awards
All-CAA First Team
Tyler Tejada Towson So. G/F Teaneck, N.J.
Ante Brzovic Charleston Sr. F Zagreb, Croatia
Colby Duggan Campbell So. F Monson, Mass.
Abdi Bashir Jr. Monmouth So. G Omaha, Neb.
Rashad King Northeastern Jr. G Evans, Ga.
All-CAA Second Team
TK Simpkins Elon Jr. G Brooklyn, N.Y.
John Camden Delaware Sr. F Downingtown, Pa.
Donovan Newby UNCW Grad. G Chicago Heights, Ill.
Dylan Williamson Towson R-So. G Gaithersburg, Md.
Gabe Dorsey William & Mary Sr. G/F Westminster, Md.
All-CAA Third Team
Derrin Boyd Charleston Grad. G Princeton, Ky.
CJ Fulton Charleston Sr. G Belfast, Ireland
Kobe MaGee Drexel Jr. G Allentown, Pa.
Noah Farrakhan Hampton Grad. G Newark, N.J.
CJ Luster Stony Brook Jr. G Denton, Texas
All-CAA Defensive Team
Nolan Dorsey Campbell Grad. G Knightdale, N.C.
Cole Hargrove Drexel Jr. F Norristown, Pa.
Matthew Van Komen Elon Grad. C Lehi, Utah
Collin Metcalf Northeastern Jr. C Nortof, Germany
Sean Moore UNCW Grad. F Columbus, Ohio
All-CAA Rookie Team
Izaiah Pasha Delaware Fr. G Harrisburg, Pa.
Justas Stonkus Charleston Fr. G Plunge, Lithuania
Daniel Johnson Hampton Fr. G Chicago, Ill.
Collin O’Connor Stony Brook Fr. G Dayton, Ohio
Isaiah Mbeng William & Mary Fr. G Potomac, Md.
Player of the Year - Tyler Tejada, Towson
Defensive Player of the Year - Nolan Dorsey, Campbell
Rookie of the Year - Izaiah Pasha, Delaware
Sixth Man of the Year - Nendah Tarke, Towson
Scholar-Athlete of the Year – CJ Fulton, Charleston
Dean Ehlers Leadership Award – Khamari McGriff, UNCW
Coach of the Year - Pat Skerry, Towson