Somerset, NJ--In unanimous votes by the Northeast Conference coaches, LIU Brooklyn’s Josh Waters (London, England/St. Dunstan's) was named NEC Men’s Golfer of the Year, while Bryant’s Kyle Buschmann (East Haddam, CT/Xavier) was tabbed NEC Men’s Golf Rookie of the Year.

Waters was the individual champion at the NEC Men’s Golf Championship earlier in May. The London, England Native, won by five strokes after carding scores of 71-71-72 to finish with a two-under 214. Waters, a 2013 All-NEC First Team honoree, also won the Leo Keegan Invite (74-70=144) to start off 2012-13. The senior placed in the top-10 in eight of nine events this season, and averaged 74.0 per round.

Buschmann, who also earns All-NEC First team honors, posted the highest finish for the Bulldogs and all freshmen at this year’s conference championship, recording scores of 70-74-78. He got his first career win at Prisco Boulet shootout a few weeks earlier, carding a score of 71. Buschmann finished in the top-10 six of his last seven tournaments, and holds a 75.1 average.

Saint Francis U’s Derek Tyson was picked as NEC Men’s Golf Coach of the Year by his peers. The first-year head coach led the Red Flash, who were picked to finish fifth in the 2012-13 preseason poll, to a come-from-behind victory at the 2013 NEC Championship. Saint Francis U finished four strokes ahead of second-place LIU Brooklyn to hoist the championship trophy.

The Blackbird’s Obe Ayton (Liphook, England/Godalming Col.) joins Waters on the All-Conference First Team. Ayton finished two spots behind in third place at the NEC Championship, and took home medalist honors at the Barnabas Health Intercollegiate with scores of 71-71. Ayton averaged 73.95 per round on the season and posted three top-five finishes.

Monmouth’s Ian Thimble (Hyde Park, MA/Boston College HS) earns a spot on the All-Conference First Team. The senior recorded a round average of 75.3 in 2012-13, and fared well at the Siena Dual Match, taking the top spot, along with the Rutgers Invitational, where he placed fourth after carding scores of 72-65-79. Overall, he had five top-five finishes.

Saint Francis U’s Kevin Fawcett (London, Ontario/Oakridge Secondary) rounds out the All-NEC First Team. Fawcett led the way for the Red Flash at the NEC Championship, finishing second over the field with scores of 69-74-76. He also nabbed third place at the PSU Altoona Invitational and fourth at the Colonial Classic. The sophomore recorded a 75.8 average in the 2012-13 season.

Sacred Heart placed two on the All-NEC Second Team. Josh Salah (Gloucester, MA /Gloucester) and Peter Ballo (Stamford, CT) placed second and third, respectively at the CCSU Fall Invitational to start off the season. Salah, a senior, had five top-10 finishes on the season and averaged 75.7 while Ballo had five in the top-five and averaged 75 per round.

Central Connecticut’s Monte Mullen (Manchester, CT/Farmington) was named All-NEC Second Team after taking home medalist honors twice this season—at the CCSU Fall Invitational and St. Peter’s Invite, along with placing second at the Lafayette Invitational. He averaged 75.1 this season.

Eduardo Escobar (Manizales, Colombia/San Luis Gonzaga) of Fairleigh Dickinson placed sixth at this year’s NEC Championship to help his team to a third place finish. He carded scores of 73-74-76, for his third top-10 finish of the season. Escobar averaged 76.1 per round.

Rounding out the All-NEC Second Team was Robert Morris’ Brock Pompeani (Aliquippa, PA/Hopewell). The senior won the Lonnie Barton Invitational in the spring with scores of 80-75, and tied for second at the Colonial Classic. Pompeani, who tied for 10^th at the NEC Championship, averaged 77.2 on the season.