Albany, N.Y. – Rider University senior forward Jason Thompson (Mt. Laurel, N.J.), has been chosen as the 2007-2008 Pepsi MAAC Player of the Year by the MAAC’s head coaches.

Thompson, a 6-foot-11, 250-pound senior forward, is a two-time All-First Team selection and is currently ranked second in the league in scoring with 20.2 points per game, good for 32nd place on the nation's scoring list. He also leads the MAAC and is second in the nation in rebounding (11.8 rpg), and tops the league chart for blocks (2.80 bpg). Thompson netted double-digit points in all 30 games and recorded 20 double-doubles this season. Thompson earned seven MAAC Player of the Week awards during his final campaign for the Broncs. He also earned the 2008 MAAC Defensive Player of the Year award.

Loyola College's Brian Rudolph and Marist College's Jay Gavin were named the 2007-2008 MAAC Co-Rookies of the Year. Rudolph, a 5-foot-11, 170-pound freshman guard from New Bedford, Mass., was a top performer for Loyola this season. He has averaged 7.1 points, 4.3 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game for the Greyhounds. He has netted double digits in 10 games during his rookie campaign. Rudolph was named the MAAC Rookie of the Week six times this year.

Gavin, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound freshman guard from Seat Pleasant, Md., has been a formidable presence for the Red Foxes this season. He has averaged 12.1 points and 2.8 rebounds a night, while shooting 39.9 percent from the field. Gavin had 20 double-digit performances during the regular season and earned five MAAC Rookie of the Week honors.

Additionally, Loyola College’s Marquis Sullivan (Westminster, Md.) was named the 2008 MAAC Sixth Man of the Year. Sullivan, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound junior guard, recorded 12.4 points and 2.1 rebounds per game in 31 contests for the Greyhounds. Through the regular season, he netted 44.1 percent of his shots from the floor, 43.2 from three-point range and 85.0 percent from the charity stripe. Sullivan recorded double-digit points in 23 contests this season.