NEC Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

22. Michael Carey

Prior to finding his footing in the NEC, Carey began his collegiate journey at San Jacinto, a junior college in Texas. He’s a 6’5 wing from the Bahamas who grew up in the Lone Star State but found his D1 home at Wagner, joining Bashir Mason’s program in 2015. Carey would spend his final two years of eligibility starring with the Seahawks.

In his first year, he helped lead Wagner to 23 wins and a regular season title in the NEC, averaging 12.6 points and 9.1 rebounds. He’d start nearly every game in the frontcourt for the Seahawks, with decent shooting numbers as well. His numbers would take a slight step forward as a senior, now up to 13.8 points a game, though Wagner couldn’t replicate that same team success. Nevertheless, he scored 32 and 29 points in the NEC Tournament as a senior, his two highest scoring efforts of his career, though Wagner would fall short.

Carey was a fantastic athlete and marvelous addition for the Seahawks, earning First Team All-NEC honors for that senior year after settling for the Second Team nod as a junior. He was the league’s best rebounder across those two seasons and had great numbers and metrics on both sides of the ball. Carey was a winner who nearly got Wagner to the Promised Land while helping maintain the success of the program during those two seasons.