STANDISH, ME – Monks Basketball Head Coach Rob Sanicola has announced his 2009-10 team awards. Five Saint Joseph's players accounted for the team's six annual awards: Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved and Rivalries Coaches Award along with the Charles Warren, Chris Kiernan and Jim Killoran Awards.

Senior forward and team co-captain Ray Eatmon (Huntington, NY) is the 2009-10 Defensive Player of the Year after leading the Monks in rebounding (8.4 RPG) and blocked shots (41) last winter. Eatmon also tied for the team lead in steals (28) and scored 10.4 points per game en route to earning the third All-Conference honor of his career. He also became the 32nd player in team history to reach the 1000-point plateau and is the only player in the storied history of the program to amass 1,000 points, 750 rebounds, 200 assists and 100 blocked shots in their career.

Sophomore Tom Ray (Cape Elizabeth, ME) earned a pair of honors at this year's team awards ceremony: Most Improved and the Jim Killoran Award, which is given annually to the individual who is voted by team members as the hardest worker in practice throughout the season. The hard work paid off for Ray, as the 6-3 swingman emerged as one of the Monks' top options off the bench during the 2009-10 campaign. Ray, who played in eight games and netted 18 total minutes as a rookie, logged 232 minutes and participated in 24 contests as a second-year player. A good shooter and tenacious defender, Ray dropped a career-high eight points against GNAC foe Suffolk University on December 12th and added six points and five boards against another GNAC opponent, Lasell College, on January 16th.

Jim Killoran graduated from St. Joe's in 1980 and was known for his tireless work ethic in practice as well as his caring and inspirational manner.

The 2010 Rivalries Coaches Award, sponsored by Rivalries Sports Pub and Grill in Portland, Maine, goes to senior guard Alberto Rue (Jamaica Plain, MA). Rue consistently demonstrates a strong work ethic and his leadership, on and off the court, as a co-captain helped propel the Monks to another successful campaign. He averaged 9.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game during his senior season.

Sophomore guard Chris Petzy (Kensington, NH) has received the Charles Warren Award, which goes to the player who is selected as the hardest-working player during the pre-season conditioning period. For Petzy, the effort in preseason helped pave the way for a breakout season. He averaged 13.7 points and 3.2 boards per game while shooting 43.6% (44-101) from three-point distance and 78.5% (51-65) from the line, both team-highs, as a second-year player.

Charles Warren graduated from St. Joe's in 1988 and was well known for his incredible work ethic, which allowed him to develop into a polished player and finish his career with 1,287 points.

Sophomore Zach O'Brien (Schenectady, NY) is the 2010 Chris Kiernan Most Valuable Player award recipient. A Second Team All-GNAC selection as a second-year swingman, O'Brien led the Monks in scoring (14.5 PPG) and assists (4.1 APG) and ranked third on the team in rebounding (5.0 RPG) while shooting 44.3% (141-318) from the floor and 75.3% (70-93) from the charity stripe in 2010.

Chris Kiernan came to Saint Joseph's in 1970 after playing collegiately for nationally-ranked Assumption College. In addition to coaching the Monks for eight years, Kiernan also served as Athletic Director, Director of the Continuing Education Program, Dean of Students, Director of Financial Aid and Director of Admissions at Saint Joseph's. He was responsible for obtaining the original Monk uniforms when Assumption Prep closed in 1970, and he breathed life into the program when he comprised a schedule and put together a team beginning with the 1970-71 season. His tireless efforts and love for the game of basketball laid the foundation for all future successes. Regrettably, Kiernan passed away in August of 2009 after a courageous battle with cancer.

The Monks' season came to a premature end when #6 Lasell College defeated the Royal Blue, who earned the #3 seed, 75-70, in a conference quarterfinal contest on February 23rd. Saint Joseph's closed out the 2009-10 campaign with a 19-7 overall record and went 14-4 in GNAC play.