KEENE, N.H. – Sophomore center Denis Wainaina was named the Little East Conference's Defensive Player of the Year when the league office released their 2025-2026 end of season awards on Wednesday afternoon.

Wainaina, the current Division III national leader and the KSC single-season blocks leader (by far) with 102, becomes the second Owl ever to win the award, joining two-time winner Jeff Hunter (2022-2023, 2023-2024), who also held the single-season blocks record before Wainaina broke it.  The sophomore from Nashua, N.H. emerged into a force in the paint this season, including a season-high nine rejections against the University of Massachusetts-Boston on December 6 and seven at the University of Southern Maine in an important road win on January 31.  Wainaina had at least five blocks in a game a whopping nine different times and had at least one in all but one game.

"Denis made an exceptional jump from year one to year two and had a chance to be the nations leading shot blocker this season," said KSC head coach Steve Enright.

Wainaina was also named to the Little East All-Defensive team, extending a long list of Owls to have appeared on that list, now making it at least two selections to that team in four consecutive years.  Senior Leo Chaikin was also named to the All-Defensive team.

KSC also had a pair of All-Conference selections, including junior Jordan Cooper – coming off a 97-point effort over three impressive games in the LEC tournament – to the first team.  The Bridgewater College (Va.) transfer has averaged 21.3 points per game, 5.2 rebounds per game, and has shot nearly 42 percent from three-point range.  He has had five efforts of 30 points or more, including twice scoring 38 points in a road win over Middlebury College and a home LEC quarterfinal win over Rhode Island College.  His 595 points are currently 11th on the KSC single-season list.  Cooper is the 27th LEC First Team selection in program history.

Chaikin, who shot nearly 53 percent from the field and averaged 12 points per game while also being a team leader, was an All-LEC Second Team selection.  He had a standout three-game stretch late in the season that likely helped cement the honor, as he poured in 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting in a 16-point victory at Eastern Connecticut and followed it up with a 9-of-11 effort and 22 points in a 90-69 Senior Day home win over RIC.  He then made 8-of-10 shots and scored 19 in the quarterfinal rematch with the Anchormen before tweaking an injury late in the semifinal win at the University of Massachusetts-Boston.

"Jordan exceeded my high expectations when we brought him here and put together an unbelievable year in his first year at Keene State," added Enright.  "Leo was our rock all season on both sides of the ball and I am thrilled he was rewarded with an All-LEC selection as a senior."

Cameron Perkins of UMass-Boston was named the LEC Player of the Year, Noe Bom of Rhode Island College the Rookie of the Year, and Guy Rancourt of Western Connecticut State University the Coach of the Year.

KSC opens the ECAC tournament on Saturday when they host the University of Maine-Presque Isle at 3:00 p.m.