Cumberland native Kolek selected as Big East Player of the Year
NEW YORK — From a high school gym in Rhode Island to the world’s most famous arena, Cumberland native Tyler Kolek was named the 2023 Big East Player of the Year Wednesday.
Kolek received the award at Madison Square Garden ahead of the Big East Tournament beating out Bryce Hopkins of Providence College, where he led his Marquette Golden Eagles to the top seed in the tournament.
The Cumberland native was named to the conference’s first team earlier in the week.
Kolek has been integral component in Marquette’s 25-6 season, leading the team in minute played, assists, and steals per game. His 7.9 assists per game is also top for the conference.
He is also the second leading scorer for the Golden Eagles at 12.7 points per game and the team’s top three-point and free-throw shooter.
Behind Kolek, Marquette finished the regular season as the number six ranked team in the country and took the home the Big East regular season crown.
He is in his second with Marquette after starting his collegiate career at George Mason.
Kolek grew up in Cumberland. He started his high school career at Cumberland High School before transferring to St. George’s School in Middletown. In 2019, he was named Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year.
