Fairfield University Men's Basketball Coach Ed Cooley earned the conference's highest honor when he received the 2011 The Rock MAAC Coach of the Year on Thursday night. He was selected as the top coach in the MAAC by vote of the conference's head coaches.

"This really is a team award," Cooley said upon accepting the honor. "I want to thank my coaches and my players and share this honor with them."

Cooley led the Stags to a 23-6 overall record in the regular season and a 15-3 MAAC mark. His Stags enter this weekend's Spark Energy MAAC tournament as the top seed, the first time that has happened since the 1985-86 team. Fairfield set the regular-season record for most wins in a season, and needs one more victory to tie the school standard for overall wins in a season.

See the complete story at:

http://www.fairfieldstags.com/news/2011/3/3/MBB_0303110224.aspx

Photo of Ed Cooley receiving Rock 2011 MAAC Coach of the Year award. From left to right: Rich Ensor, MAAC Commissioner, Ed Cooley, Fairfield Head Coach, Les Lombardi, Anaconda Sports, Bob Byrnes, Manhattan Director of Athletics.

Posted On: 03-03-2011 11:03 AM

Volume: 43 Number: 218