ROCHESTER, N.Y. (February 21, 2019)  – Sophomore Alec DiPietrantonio of the Stevens Institute of Technology men's basketball team earned Second Team All-Empire 8 Conference recognition Thursday as part of the 2018-19 E8 season-end awards, the league office announced.

Additionally, senior Ryan Coffey earned an honorable mention as the Ducks placed two multiple players on the All-E8 team for the second straight season.

DiPietrantonio received the first all-conference selection of his career after averaging a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds per game. The Mount Laurel, New Jersey native led the Empire 8 in rebounding and blocked shots (1.6), while ranking among the conference leaders by shooting 54.4 percent from the floor. DiPietrantonio had the second-highest single-game offensive output of the season, scoring a career-high 36 points in Stevens' victory over Elmira on Jan. 4. In the same game, the sophomore center grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds which is tied for the highest single-game total in the conference this season. Both marks are the highest in any E8 game this season. DiPietrantonio's season totals rank among the nation's leaders in rebounds (42nd), blocks (62nd), double-doubles (61st), total rebounds (38th), total blocks (58) and both offensive (41st) and defensive rebounds (82nd) per game. His 250 rebounds to date ranks fourth on the program's all-time single-season list and his 41 blocks ranks ninth.

"It was great to have Alec recognized as a Second Team All-Conference performer," said head coach Bobby Hurley. "He has worked tremendously hard this year and has improved so much this season. I'm proud of his growth, both as a player and as a leader this season."

Coffey earned an honorable mention after finishing 18th in the conference in scoring and fourth in rebounding, while averaging the seventh-most minutes per game (30.1) in the Empire 8. The senior forward averaged 11.9 points and 7.2 rebounds per game and closed out his season with five straight double-digit scoring performances. For the season, Coffey shot 45.7 percent from the floor and 42.6 percent from behind the arc; 40 of Coffey's 106 made field goals came on threes. Coffey has appeared in 104 consecutive games, which ranks fourth all-time.

"I'm happy for Ryan to be getting this recognition as an Honorable Mention All-Empire 8 performer," Hurley commented. "Ryan does so much for our team and many things that do not show up on a stat sheet. As a senior captain, he has had a tremendous year, especially through the conference portion of our season."

St. John Fisher's Ryan Henderson was named the Empire 8's Player of the Year, while Alfred's Sage Brown was named the league's Defensive Player of the Year. Elliott Bowen was tabbed Rookie of the Year and Russell Phillips and staff were named Staff of the Year as the Saxons claimed three of the conference's four major awards. 

Click here for the Empire 8's official release.

Up Next: Fourth-seeded Stevens takes on top-seeded Alfred Friday tomorrow evening in the Empire 8 Conference semifinals. Live stats and video links are available on StevensDucks.com.

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