HADLEY, Mass. -- Bates men's basketball first-year guard Marc Begin II is the 2023-24 NESCAC Rookie of the Year, as announced Thursday by the New England Small College Athletic Conference.

Begin II (Jacksonville, Fla.) is the third Bobcat in program history to earn the honor, and the first since Brian Ellis '11 in 2007-08. 

The talented guard made an immediate impact for Bates, leading the team and finishing tied for sixth in the NESCAC in scoring at 16.6 points per game. Begin II appeared in 18 games, started 12, and turned in some memorable performances along the way.

On Dec. 9, Begin II dropped 38 points on 14-25 shooting in a thrilling 99-92 win for Bates over rival Colby at Alumni Gym. For his efforts, he was named the Maine Men's Basketball Coaches and Writers Association Player and Rookie of the Week. Begin II followed that performance with 47 points on 17-33 shooting against Saint Joseph's College of Maine on Jan. 2, just one point shy of the Bates men's basketball record for points in one game. His performance at Saint Joe's combined with a team-high 14 points in the NESCAC opener against Connecticut College on Jan. 7 earned Begin II his second Maine Rookie of the Week honor.

Begin II contributed in a big way to a history-making game for the Bobcats on Jan. 23, as Bates hit a school-record 21 three-pointers in a 94-68 win over Maine Maritime Academy. He scored a game-high 25 points and hit 5-8 from three-point range in the contest. 

Begin II also impressed against a nationally ranked Trinity team late in the season, scoring 19 points on 8-17 shooting against the No. 1 scoring defense in the country.