Former Hofstra star Aaron Estrada wins Haggerty Award
Hofstra's Aaron Estrada during the NIT second round men's basketball game against Cincinnati at the David Mack Arena on March 18, 2023. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
The final stanza of Aaron Estrada’s magnificent two seasons at Hofstra was written on Thursday when he was selected as the 2022-23 Haggerty Award winner as the top Division I men’s basketball player in the metropolitan New York area.
This season Estrada, a 6-3 redshirt senior, was named the Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year for a second straight time after leading the Pride to a 25-10 mark, the CAA regular season championship and a berth in the postseason National Invitation Tournament.
The Lt. Frank J. Haggerty Award has been given annually to the area’s best player since 1936 and is the most prestigious accolade given by the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association. Estrada is the sixth Hofstra player to win the Haggerty and first since Charles Jenkins won the last of his three straight in 2011.
The other Hofstra players to earn the prestigious award are Pride coach Speedy Claxton in 2000, Norm Richardson in 2001, Bill Thieben in 1956 and Rich Laurel in 1977.
Estrada, who came to Hofstra via a transfer from Oregon, this season averaged 20.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.5 steals. He has one remaining year of college eligibility and will play next season at Alabama. He announced his transfer last week in a social media post.
The MBWA has also announced its all-Met men’s and women’s basketball teams and several players with St. John’s and Long Island ties were recognized.
Red Storm center Joel Soriano was picked to the first team, Posh Alexander to the third team and A.J. Storr was the all-Met Rookie of the Year. Soriano is returning to St. John’s as the team captain next season for new coach Rick Pitino. Alexander announced that he would transfer to Butler on Thursday. Storr transferred to Wisconsin. Second-team pick Daniss Jenkins is transferring from Iona to St. John’s for next season.
St. John’s senior Jayla Everett was named to the women’s basketball first team after helping the Storm reach the NCAA Tournament this past season. St. John’s senior Kadaja Bailey – a three-time Newsday All-Long Island selection from St. Mary’s High School – was named to the second team as was Freeport product Chloe Wilson of FDU. Rutgers freshman Kaylene Smikle, a 2020 Newsday all-Long Island pick from Long Island Lutheran, was named to the third team.
Hofstra’s Tyler Thomas and Marist’s Patrick Gardner, a 6-11 center from Calhoun High, were men’s basketball second-team selections.
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
