Dover, Del. (Mar. 6, 2015) --- Delaware State University center Kendall Gray (sr.; Dover, Del.) is the second player in the 44-year history of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference to earn the league's Men's Basketball Player-of-the-Year and Defensive Player-of-the-Year awards in the same season.
Gray also headlines the 2014-15 All-MEAC First Team, which includes Hornet teammate Amere May (sr.; So. Haven, Mich.).
The MEAC post-season honorees are selected by head coaches and sports information representatives from the league's 13 schools.
Gray joins Norfolk State University's Kyle O'Quinn as the only players in MEAC history to garner both Player-of-the-Year and Defensive Player-of-the-Year honors in the same season. O'Quinn accomplished the feat during the 2011-12 season.
He's also the third Hornet to be named MEAC Player-of-the-Year, joining Tom Davis in 1989; and Jahsha Bluntt, who was selected in 2006 and '07. Gray is the first DSU player to receive the top defender award.
Gray has dominated the MEAC's weekly awards this season, earning eight Defensive Player-of-the Week honors and one Player-of-the-Week recognition. On Jan. 19, he was selected as the Lou Henson National Mid-major Player-of-the-Week.
Delaware State wrapped up its 2014-15 regular season with Gray leading all NCAA Division I players in rebounds per game (12.4), total rebounds (371) and defensive rebounds (8.8 pg). He's also the MEAC leader in blocks per game (2.8), total blocks (83), offensive rebounds (3.5 pg); and double-doubles (17).
As of March 6, Gray ranked seventh in the nation in double-doubles, 15th in total blocks, 17th in blocks per game and 19th in double-doubles.
On March 5, he earned national recognition after recording career highs of 33 points and 30 rebounds in the Hornet' 104-92 win over Coppin State, becoming the first player in the Division I history of Delaware State and the MEAC to pull down 30 rebounds in a game. It also marked the first time in recent memory that any Division I player reached 30 points and 30 rebounds in a game. The last time a Division I player collected 30 rebounds in a game before Gray was in 2000.
In addition to the nation's-best 30-rebound game, Gray shares the fourth (23) and fifth-best (22) single-game rebound totals this season.
He also set a DSU blocks record (83) for the third time in his career this season.
May is No. 1 in the MEAC and sixth in the nation in scoring at 20.9 points per game this season. He has topped the 40-point mark in two games this season, including the Div. I high of 48 vs. St. Francis Brooklyn on Dec. 17. May tallied 40 points at Coppin State on Mar. 5.
He has scored at least 30 points in five games, including 32 in the Hornets' 72-65 upset of Wake Forest on Nov. 28.
May enters next week's MEAC Tournament having reached double-figures in scoring in 21 straight games, topping the 20-point mark in the last eight.
He has also hit at least one three-point field goal in the last 24 games.
May is second in the MEAC in three-point field goals (2.8 pg) and three-point percentage (.394); and fourth in the league in free throw shooting (.824).
The Hornet duo is joined on the 20-14-15 All-MEAC First Team by Jeff Short of Norfolk State, James Carlton of Howard and Nimrod Hilliard of regular season winner and defending tournament champ North Carolina Central.
Bobby Collins of Maryland-Eastern Shore was selected by his peers as the 201-4-15 MEAC Coach-of-the-Year, while Ryan Andino of UMES earned Rookie-of-the-Year honors.
Delaware State will begin 2015 MEAC Tournament play on Monday (Mar. 9) with a first round game against Savannah State at 6:30 p.m. at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Va.
The Hornets are the tournament's fifth seed, while Savannah is seeded 12th.
The winner of the contest will face No. 4 Howard in the quarterfinals on Thursday (Mar. 12) at 8 pm.
