Birrell, Pringle, and Coach Foster honored by CCC

NEWPORT, R.I. – Salve Regina graduate student Ryan Birrell (Hope, R.I.) and sophomore Isiah Pringle (Queens, N.Y.) have both been named to the 2011-12 All-Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Men's Basketball Team, while head coach Sean Foster was selected as the CCC Coach of the Year. Birrell was honored as the CCC Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and All-CCC First Team member, while Pringle was selected to the All-CCC Second Team.

As the Seahawks' team captain, Birrell had an outstanding final campaign, ranking first in assists (5.2 apg), second in steals (2.3 spg), and third in scoring (17.4 ppg) among all CCC players during conference play. He also finished among the top 10 in the conference in field goal percentage (.466), rebounding (6.1 rpg), and assists-to-turnover ration (1.5). The model of consistency, Birrell scored in double figures during all but one of Salve Regina's 25 regular season contests, scoring 20 or more points nine times. He earned his 1,000th career point during an 18-point effort versus Wentworth on January 17 and scored a career-high 30 points versus Daniel Webster on November 22. He is the program's all-time leader in assists and ranks seventh on Salve Regina's all-time scoring list.

Pringle was one of the conference's most dangerous outside shooters this season, ranking second among all CCC players in 3-pointers made (3.0 tpg) and fourth in 3-point field goal percentage (.412) during conference play. Pringle also ranked eighth in scoring, averaging 15.1 points per contest. The sophomore shooter improved as the season went along, scoring in double-figures in each of the team's final 11 regular season games, including a career-high 27 points versus local rival Roger Williams during the regular season finale.

After leading the Seahawks to their first CCC Championship since 1995 last season, Foster guided Salve Regina to a conference-best 15-3 record this season. This is Coach Foster's first CCC Coach of the Year award. He is currently one win shy of his 125th career victory as the Seahawks' head coach.

With 17 wins entering the conference tournament, the team needs just one win to become the winningest team at Salve Regina during the Foster era. As a team, the Seahawks currently rank third in the CCC in scoring offense (72.0 ppg) and fourth in scoring defense (66.6 ppg), making them the only CCC team to rank in the top four in both categories. In addition, the Seahawks lead the CCC in steals (10.4) and offensive rebounds (12.6), while ranking third in both offensive and defensive rebound percentage (.331, .695) in the regular season. Among all 405 NCAA Division III men's basketball programs, Salve Regina ranks 19th in steals per game and 39th in turnover margin in the most recent national rankings.

Birrell, Pringle, and the rest of the Seahawks finished the year as the conference's top seed, and have advanced to the CCC Championship tournament's semifinal round. They will host Nichols College on Thursday, February 23 (6 p.m.) at the Rodgers Recreation Center.