Honors Court: Stony Brook's Jameel Warney Joins List of 3-Time League MVPs

Stony Brook's Jameel Warney joining an exclusive list of individuals earning league player of the year acclaim three times in an NCAA Division I conference. But Warney, who averaged 16.9 points and 10.2 rebounds per game while dominating the America East Conference the last three seasons, replaced a legend for dubious distinction among this gifted group.

Virginia center Ralph Sampson had posted the lowest scoring average (17.6 ppg from 1980-81 through 1982-83) among the 29 players during spans in the previous 50-plus years when they captured three or four MVP awards in a DI conference. Sampson's average was 26.6 ppg lower than LSU guard Pete Maravich's NCAA-record mark (44.2 from 1967-68 through 1969-70).

No player from a power conference has achieved the feat since Kansas' Danny Manning in the Big Eight from 1985-86 through 1987-88. Next season, Lehigh's Tim Kempton from the Patriot League could join the following chronological list of standouts who became player of the year in a DI league three or four seasons since the early 1960s:

Player Pos. School Conference (MVP Seasons) League MVP Summary
Jerry Lucas C Ohio State Big Ten (1960 through 1962) Averaged 24.3 ppg and 17.2 rpg while shooting 62.4% from the floor over three-year span.
Fred Hetzel F-C Davidson Southern (1963 through 1965) Averaged 25.7 ppg and 13.8 rpg while shooting 55.4% from the floor over three-year span.
Clem Haskins G-F Western Kentucky Ohio Valley (1965 through 1967) Averaged 22.1 ppg and 10.6 rpg over three-year span.
Pete Maravich G Louisiana State Southeastern (1968 through 1970) Averaged 44.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg and 5.1 apg over three-year span.
Gene Phillips F Southern Methodist Southwest (1969 through 1971) Averaged 26.1 ppg and 7.5 rpg while shooting 81.7% from the free-throw line over three-year span.
David Thompson F North Carolina State Atlantic Coast (1973 through 1975) Averaged 26.8 ppg and 8.1 rpg while shooting 55.3% from the floor over three-year span.
Bernard King F Tennessee Southeastern (1975 through 1977) Averaged 25.8 ppg and 13.2 rpg while shooting 59% from the floor over three-year span.
Bill Cartwright C San Francisco West Coast (1977 through 1979) Averaged 21.5 ppg and 11.5 rpg while shooting 60.4% from the floor over three-year MVP span.
Michael Brooks F La Salle East Coast (1978 through 1980) Averaged 24.1 ppg and 12.5 rpg while shooting 55.4% from the floor over three-year MVP span.
Harry Kelly F Texas Southern Southwestern Athletic (1980 through 1983) Averaged 27.9 ppg and 9.9 rpg over four-year span.
Ralph Sampson C Virginia Atlantic Coast (1981 through 1983) Averaged 17.6 ppg, 11.5 rpg and 3.1 bpg while shooting 57.5% from the floor over three-year MVP span.
Joe Binion F North Carolina A&T Mid-Eastern Athletic (1982 through 1984) Averaged 19.8 ppg and 10.8 rpg while shooting 50.9% from the floor over three-year MVP span.
Willie Jackson F Centenary Trans America Athletic (1982 through 1984) Averaged 23.9 ppg and 9.2 rpg over three-year MVP span.
Alfredrick Hughes F Loyola (Ill.) Midwestern Collegiate (1983 through 1985) Averaged 26.5 ppg and 8.8 rpg over three-year MVP span.
Chris Mullin G-F St. John's Big East (1983 through 1985) Averaged 20.4 ppg and 4.3 rpg while shooting 55.4% from the floor and 86.5% from the free-throw line over three-year MVP span.
Wayman Tisdale C Oklahoma Big Eight (1983 through 1985) Averaged 25.6 ppg and 10.1 rpg while shooting 57.8% from the floor over three-year span.
Larry Krystkowiak F Montana Big Sky (1984 through 1986) Averaged 20.4 ppg and 10.7 rpg while shooting 57.1% from the floor and 80.1% from the free-throw line over three-year MVP span.
Reggie Lewis F Northeastern ECAC North Atlantic (1985 through 1987) Averaged 23.7 ppg and 8.5 rpg over three-year MVP span.
David Robinson C Navy Colonial Athletic (1985 through 1987) Averaged 24.8 ppg, 12.2 rpg and 4.8 bpg while shooting 61.2% from the floor over three-year MVP span.
Danny Manning F Kansas Big Eight (1986 through 1988) Averaged 21.7 ppg and 8.2 rpg while shooting 59.9% from the floor over three-year MVP span.
Lionel Simmons F La Salle Metro Atlantic Athletic (1988 through 1990) Averaged 26 ppg and 11.3 rpg over three-year MVP span.
Clarence Weatherspoon F Southern Mississippi Metro (1990 through 1992) Averaged 19.3 ppg and 10.3 rpg while shooting 58.4% from the floor over three-year MVP span.
Tony Dunkin F Coastal Carolina Big South (1990 through 1993) Averaged 20.7 ppg and 7 rpg while shooting 52.2% from the floor and 41.2% from beyond the three-point arc over four-year span.
Gary Trent F Ohio University Mid-American (1993 through 1995) Averaged 22.7 ppg and 11.3 rpg while shooting 57.3% from the floor over three-year span.
Keith Van Horn F Utah Western Athletic (1995 through 1997) Averaged 21.5 ppg and 8.9 rpg while shooting 52.4% from the floor and 87% from the free-throw line over three-year MVP span.
George Evans F George Mason Colonial Athletic (1999 through 2001) Averaged 17.9 ppg and 8.3 rpg while shooting 58.4% from the floor over three-year MVP span.
David West F-C Xavier Atlantic 10 (2001 through 2003) Averaged 18.8 ppg and 10.8 rpg while shooting 53.1% from the floor over three-year MVP span.
Taylor Coppenrath F Vermont America East (2003 through 2005) Averaged 23.1 ppg and 7.5 rpg over three-year MVP span.
Nick Fazekas F Nevada Western Athletic (2005 through 2007) Averaged 21 ppg and 10.3 rpg while shooting 53.2% from the floor and 82.3% from the free-throw line over three-year MVP span.
Caleb Green F Oral Roberts Mid-Continent (2005 through 2007) Averaged 20.2 ppg and 9.1 rpg while shooting 52.6% from the floor over three-year MVP span.
Jameel Warney F-C Stony Brook America East (2014 through 2016) Averaged 16.9 ppg and 10.2 rpg over three-year MVP span.