Keene State Star Recognized as Best Player In the Country
KANSAS CITY, Mo.--For the first time in the college's Division III era, Keene State has a national player of the year.
Octavio Brito, a senior from Lincoln, R.I., was named the Division III National Player of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) on Thursday.
It is the ultimate curtain call for one of the college's most decorated athletes ever. The three-time All-America standout rewrote the record book as an Owl, leading the team to four straight NCAA Tournaments, back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances, and a record four straight Little East Conference (LEC) titles.
"I am so honored to be the NABC Player of the Year," said Brito. "I want to thank my coaches, teammates, parents, and family for all their support. Legendary is the standard at Keene State and I'm so proud to represent this school as the first Owl to be National Player of the Year."
"This award is the culmination of hours and hours of work over many years," first-year head basketball coach Steve Enright said. "Octavio is extremely gifted, but what separates him is his work ethic, self-discipline, and determination to be the best.
"He has been the heart and soul of Keene State basketball throughout his career and is the ultimate teammate and winner. Our program and the entire community are so proud of him, and I can't wait to watch the next chapter in his basketball journey unfold."
Brito, a 6-foot, 4-inch swingman, finished his career with 2,206 points, second-most in program history, while also ranking in the top 10 in scoring average (18.9, ninth), made field goals (789, fourth), attempted field goals (1,628, second), made 3-pointers (268, third), attempted 3-pointers (676, third), and 3-point percentage (.396, sixth). Also, made free throws (360, fourth), attempted free throws (444, ninth), free-throw percentage (.811, sixth), rebounds (838, fifth), assists (307, ninth), blocks (115, sixth), steals (166, ninth), and games played (117, fifth).
Brito's mark on the college extends well beyond the basketball court, Keene State President Dr. Melinda Treadwell said.
"We are deeply proud of Octavio Brito and congratulate him on this award. He has brought great recognition to Keene State during his tenure here, and this is a wonderful culmination. Octavio, his teammates, and the coaches have been exceptional collaborators. All of us are on our feet and cheering Octavio on as he inspires Division III student-athletes everywhere."
"I've been privileged to know Octavio as a student and in my time as KSC athletic director, and there is no one more deserving of this award," said Director of Athletics Marty Testo. "This is proof positive that hard work and loyalty pays off. Octavio has built his own legacy at KSC and will go down as one of the all-time great players."
During Brito's playing years, the Owls went 98-19 (.837), and 47-7 (.870) in the Little East Conference, the most successful four-year era in program history. He was part of a Keene State team that went unbeaten in conference play, in 2022-23, and that soared to as high as a No. 4 national ranking in the d3hoops.com poll. The team had a 33-week run with a national top-20 ranking. Keene State was selected as a host site for the opening rounds of the NCAA Division III tournament in 2023 and 2024.
National Player of the Year is the most prominent award Brito has earned, but it isn't the first. He was the LEC Rookie of the Year in 2022, as well as First Team All-Conference as a sophomore, junior, and senior, and LEC Player of the Year this past season. He was also All-Region in his final three seasons and recognized as an All-American by the NABC and D3hoops.com in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Brito excels in the classroom as a Sport & Recreation Management major. He plans to pursue a professional playing career after his graduation from KSC this May.