Chappell was named the 2006 Northeast Conference Rookie of the Year in a vote by league head coaches March 1 and finished his freshman season with averages of 14.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game. He finished the 2005-06 regular-season ranked in the top 15 in the NEC in eight categories, including second in steals, seventh in blocked shots, eighth in three-point field goal percentage, ninth in offensive rebounds, 11th in scoring, rebounding and three-point field goals made per game and tied for 15th in assists.

Chappell became just the program’s second NEC Rookie of the Year winner, joining former forward Steve Vandiver (1986-88) in 1987, and also became the third straight rookie for Robert Morris to be named to the league’s all-rookie team. Just the fourth Colonial in school history to earn a starting nod in his first collegiate game, Chappell established new Robert Morris freshman records for points (410) and field goals (151) this season while ranking second in the freshman annals in scoring average (14.1 ppg) and three-pointers (53).

Under the direction of fifth-year head coach Mark Schmidt, Robert Morris qualified for the NEC Tournament for the fourth time in the last five seasons and advanced to the tourney semifinals for the second time in the last three years in 2005-06. The Colonials finished with an overall record of 15-14 in this year, the program’s first winning season since 1999-2000.

A look at the 25-man roster of the 2006 collegeinsider.com Freshmen All-America Team: