Annan and Okla Named Defensive and Rookie of the Year, First Team All Conference

Westfield, Mass. — Westfield State’s Kenney Rogers Jr. repeats as the 2025-26 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Year while Worcester State’s Johnny Annan is Defensive Player of the Year. The duo headlines the All-Conference team which is voted on by the eight coaches around the conference prior to the MASCAC Tournament.

Rogers Jr., a sophomore from Springfield, Mass., continued his award winning ways claiming the 2025-26 Player of the Year accolades. This season, Rogers averaged 20.1 points and eight rebounds with 124 assists, 45 steals and 12 blocks. He set a school-record with 52 points in a game in the Owls’ 106-88 men’s basketball win over Bridgewater State. Rogers broke a 57-year old school record of 50 points set by Ray Glynn in a 1969 game vs Nichols College. He recorded a triple-double in a win over Salve Regina early in the season, as Rogers finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Rogers poured in 543 points in his sophomore season, and now has 1,060 in his two-year career as an Owl, ranking 22nd on the Owls career scoring list.

Annan nabbed the MASCAC Defensive Player of the Year accolades after the senior from Worcester, Mass. helped the Lancers to second seed in the conference tournament. He finished first in the MASCAC in total blocks with 41 and fourth in steals with 51. He also averaged 11.5 points and 6.2 rebounds per game while shooting 50.2 percent from the field. 10 times this season Annan registered two or more blocks with one game with four while he also had three or more steals in 10 contests.

Joining teammate Annan as a major award winner is Joe Okla of Worcester State. The sophomore from Worcester, Mass. made a splash in his first season with the Lancers, averaging 14.9 points, nine rebounds, 58.6 shooting percentage from the field and 68.3 percent from the free throw line. He also tallied 48 assists, 42 steals and four blocks on the year. One of Okla’s best games of the year came in the win over Bridgewater State where he netted 26 points, 15 rebounds, three assists and three steals while shooting 90 percent from the floor.

In a year that saw the Owls repeat as MASCAC Regular Season Champs, Rich Sutter of Westfield State was voted the 2025-26 BSN Sports Coach of the Year by his peers. This season, Sutter surpassed 400 wins and passed former coach Joe Farroba for the most career wins by a MASCAC head coach.

Joining Rogers, Annan and Okla on the 2025-26 All-Conference First Team is Jalen Jackson of Fitchburg State, Craig Williams of MCLA and Ali Barry of Salem State.

On the Second Team are Lucas Miglionico of Anna Maria, Zach Taylor of Bridgewater State, Joshua Saint Jean of Framingham State, Raheim Orleans of Salem State and Xaview Lewis of Westfield State.

2025-26 MASCAC MEN’S BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS

FIRST TEAM

Player/Institution Class Position Hometown

Jalen Jackson, Fitchburg State Junior Guard San Antonio,

Texas Craig Williams, MCLA Senior Guard Dover, Del.

Ali Barry, Salem State Sophomore Guard Lynn, Mass.

Kenney Rogers Jr., Westfield State Sophomore Forward Springfield, Mass.

Johnny Annan, Worcester State Senior Forward Worcester, Mass.

Joe Okla, Worcester State Sophomore Forward Worcester, Mass.

SECOND TEAM

Player/Institution Class Position Hometown

Lucas Miglionico, Anna Maria Sophomore Guard Dudley, Mass.

Zach Taylor, Bridgewater State Junior Guard N. Quincy, Mass.

Joshua Saint Jean, Framingham State Junior Forward Lynn, Mass.

Raheim Orleans, Salem State Freshman Center Attleboro, Mass.

Xavier Lewis, Westfield State Junior Guard Long Island, N.Y.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Kenney Rogers Jr., Westfield State Sophomore Forward Springfield, Mass.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Johnny Annan, Worcester State Senior Forward Worcester, Mass.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Joe Okla, Worcester State Sophomore Forward Worcester, Mass.

BSN SPORTS COACH OF THE YEAR Rich Sutter, Westfield State